


Better Not Pout, I'm Telling You Why

by runaway_train



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Baker Harry, Boss Louis, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Smut, Innocent Harry, Innuendo, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, Workplace Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 06:11:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16826761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/runaway_train/pseuds/runaway_train
Summary: Niall wipes his hands again with his cloth, jaw tense as his eyes narrow in contemplation at the man in front of him. After a pause, he opens his mouth. “OK, I need to tell you something and you have to promise not to laugh.”Oh here we go, now the truth is away to come out. “Okaaaay…”He drops the towel. “Harry still believes in Santa Claus.”Louis hoots out a single loud chord of laughter. “Fuck off. No he doesn’t.”“He does. I swear.” Niall manages to say it with a completely straight face, but he must be taking the piss.“Niall, he’s twenty two. Do you honestly expect me to believe he’s managed to make it this far through life without someone telling him the truth that Santa isn’t real?”OrThe one where Harry still believes in Santa Claus and Louis doesn't want to be the one to burst his bubble.





	Better Not Pout, I'm Telling You Why

**Author's Note:**

> This work was written as part of the Larry Holiday Fic Fest, based on the following prompt:
> 
> Person A still believes in Santa Claus. Person B isn’t sure whether to humour them or burst their bubble.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> I also have a Tumblr which is [here](http://runaway-train-works.tumblr.com) if you want to say hello! The specific post for this fic is [here](http://runaway-train-works.tumblr.com/post/181150760095/better-not-pout-im-telling-you-why-written-as).
> 
> Title is from ['Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town' by Bing Crosby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6t5taqycXA) (I know there are loads of versions but I like this one)
> 
> *NOTE* Louis' birthday is not Christmas Eve in this au and some minor characters' ages have been modified.

“So when’s this Harry guy turning up?”

“Uh…” Niall swallows his mouthful of sandwich and looks at his watch. “I think about half an hour. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet him.” He takes another bite and mindlessly brushes the crumbs off his shirt onto the carpet of Louis’ office.

Louis looks down at the messy floor and then up to where Niall is sitting on top of his desk, never one to like using a chair like a normal person, and shakes his head to himself. Some things never change. “Don’t be crazy, it’s him doing me the favour. Can’t believe Tom decided to quit right before the busy festive season started,” Louis tells him, “would have been a nightmare trying to find a replacement, especially one willing to work over Christmas.”

Louis, as the Assistant General Manager at the Oakwood Country House Hotel, needed to find someone new to train up as a full-time receptionist before the hotel was overrun but Christmas parties and winter travellers in the lead up to the holidays. The venue was large, a fifty bedroom estate sitting twenty miles west of Louis’ native Doncaster near the Peak District, complete with sprawling gardens, full leisure facilities and a well-renowned bar and restaurant. He’d started there when he was seventeen as a waiter, working his way up the ranks to be the right-hand man of James Corden, the hotel manager by the time he was twenty-four. James did very little except schmooze the VIP guests and swan about pretending to be working, so Louis was pretty much in charge of everything. That’s the way he liked it though, and he worked hard at it. 

Niall finishes chewing and swallows again. “Harry’s really excited. He’s been working at a cafe near his mum’s since leaving uni in June, but they don’t have that many hours at this time of year, so when I mentioned we needed someone and that it was live-in, he jumped at the chance,” Niall explains. Niall’s the bar manager, had been for two years. He’d quickly become one of Louis’ closest mates.

“And you knew Harry at uni, right? You worked with him?” Louis asks him as he taps away on his computer, ignoring that yet more morsels of bread are coming off of Niall.

“Yeah, we were both waiters together in Leeds, he was a couple of years below me. The customers loved him. He used to get so many tips because he’s really sweet and gentle.”

Louis nods his head. “Good, good, that’s what I need. But to be honest, I’m really only meeting him first to make sure he’s not a complete idiot, I’m pretty desperate as you well know.”

Niall pats him on the shoulder and then gives it a reassuring squeeze. Louis’ pretty sure he’s going to have a mayonnaise flavoured handprint on his shirt. “I wouldn’t have recommended him if he wasn’t up to the job mate, I promise you. You’ll like him, it’s literally impossible not to.”

“Cool. I best be getting on with these orders,” Louis says, holding his clipboard with the order sheets up in the air to emphasise his point. “Can you give me a shout when he gets here?” 

“Sure boss. Catch you in a bit.” Niall gets up from the desk and leaves Louis to his work, along with the wrapper from his lunch that Louis chucks in the bin with a sigh.

__________

Forty minutes later, there’s a knock on the Louis’ door. 

“Come in.”

“Hey bud, got Harry here if you’re free,” Niall says, entering the room.

Louis puts his pen down from authorising petty cash receipts. “Sure.” He stands up and walks around the desk as Niall steps to the side to make way for the man that is presumably Harry to enter in behind him. Louis stops short when he gets to the edge of the desk and gets a look at him properly. There must have been a mistake. This can’t be sweet and gentle Harry from the local cafe that Niall described. This guy is a fucking model straight off the nearest catwalk and absolutely stunning. He’s got gorgeous shoulder length walnut curls, dazzling moss green eyes, and a sharp jawline that frames his plump lips, the colour of which make Louis think of juicy watermelon. Talk about a mouthwatering feast.

Niall’s Irish twang destroys Louis’ reverie. “Louis, this is Harry Styles. Harry this is Louis Tomlinson, the Assistant General Manager here at Oakwood.”

Louis manages to school himself quickly enough without getting caught gawking he hopes, reaching a hand out to Harry for him to shake, smiling wide. “Pleasure to meet you, Harry. Thank you for coming in today.”

“Oh no, thanks for seeing me, really appreciate the opportunity.” He takes Louis’ hand in his own and shakes it firmly. His hands feel strong, like they could take Louis apart if they wanted to. He’s grinning with perfect, pearly whites as Louis nods. 

“Niall, think I can take it from here.” Louis reaches over to pat him on the back before giving him a look that he hopes to convey that they will definitely be having words about him forgetting to mention how attractive his uni friend was.

“Sure thing. See ya’ later Harry. And don’t worry, Louis doesn’t bite,” Niall quips as he waves a hand, walking out the door. 

“Not hard anyway,” Louis says under his breath to himself, before turning to see Harry’s perfectly carved dimples and shiny eyes looking at him intently. “Why don’t you take a seat, Harry? Can I take your coat for you?”

“Uh.. sure, thanks.” Harry shrugs off his long, black, wool coat and hands it to Louis who turns to hang it on the back of the door, leaving him in a soft, dark grey jumper and black skinny jeans. Harry goes to take a step forward towards the chair in front of the desk but somehow stumbles over thin air and looks like he’s away to fall over, Louis reaching out to grab him from behind by his biceps. 

“Whooooaaa,” Louis exhales as he helps Harry right himself again, “you OK?”

“Yeah, um… God, m’sorry… don’t know what happened there. I can be a bit clumsy,” he mumbles, flustered and pinking up as he finally takes his seat.

“No harm done,” Louis tells him as he rounds the desk and takes his own chair. “So, why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself Harry?

__________

As it turns out, Niall was right, Harry really is very lovely indeed. As Louis poses question after question, Harry answers them articulately and with infectious enthusiasm, telling Louis all about his work experience and his studies with maturity and thoughtfulness. He makes Louis guffaw with anecdotes of difficult and ridiculous customers he’s had to deal with in his time and how he resolved the situation for a positive outcome, and when asked if he has ever had a disagreement with a fellow member of staff, his brow had furrowed as he thought hard before clearing his throat and informing Louis that he once accidentally ate a colleague’s lunch in error and felt so bad he baked them a lemon drizzle cake to apologise. 

Louis double checks that should he get the job (not wanting to appear too keen or desperate by telling him he already has it), Harry is fine to work over Christmas, and tells him that he can have New Year's Eve off if he wants it as most of the other staff are available. Harry thanks him but explains that he isn’t sure of his plans yet and he would let Louis know as soon as possible. Louis also probes him about his plans beyond that. He doesn’t expect Harry to be here for the long haul having not long graduated and assumes he will be looking for a more relevant career path to put his first class politics and international relations degree to better use than as a hotel receptionist, but is still surprised to discover that Harry, ‘just wants to help people, and treat people the way he would like to be treated.’ On hearing that Harry is in the process of saving up some money to go abroad and combine travelling with charity work next summer, assisting with disaster relief or perhaps a children’s orphanage, Louis begins to wonder where this kid could possibly have come from, because his attitude and outlook on life, while refreshing, is at odds with the social media obsessed, binge drinking stereotype of people in their late teens and early twenties in this day and age. Or maybe simply Louis hangs around with the wrong people.

It’s rather unfortunate that this is all coming out of Harry’s lush pout with a grainy, sunken tone that would make Louis’ weak in the knees if he wasn’t already sitting down. 

“So I’ve got a couple of forms I need you to fill in, contact details, immigration documentation and about references, that sort of thing. I’ll get you to do them now and then I can show you round the hotel and take you up to the staff living quarters so you can see what they’re like?” Louis asks after an hour and ten minutes. Usually, he wraps general staff interviews up in thirty. Ach well. 

“Yup, no problem.” 

Louis rises from his chair and moves over to the filing cabinet in the corner of the room and opens it up to retrieve the correct blank forms. He returns to the desk and grabs a clipboard, attaching the pieces of paper and handing it Harry, along with a pen. “Let me know if you have any questions, but it’s all fairly routine. Did you bring your passport with you?”

“I did.” Harry leans forward to grab it from his back pocket of his jeans. “Please don’t laugh at the photo,” he requests as he hands it over. Louis opens it to the photo page and has to bite down on his tongue to stop the cackle that rises up his throat. “I said don’t laugh!” 

“I didn’t!” he says as he glances at Harry before looking back at the passport. Harry’s a few years younger in the printed image with an almost ridiculous billowing of thick curls taking up half the frame. His features are soft, but a pinch too big for his face, the remains of adolescent baby fat still prevalent in his cheeks. He’s definitely grown into his looks over the subsequent years.

“I can tell you want to though. I’m only fifteen there OK?” Harry huffs.

“You look adorable,” Louis utters without thinking. 

“Yeah?” Harry asks him, looking up at him with huge eyes and his teeth indenting his bottom lip.

“Um… yeah…OK,” Louis murmurs awkwardly, “I better go and uh… photocopy this. I’ll be back in a minute.” Harry nods, smiling softly and Louis wants to reach over and stroke his face. He needs to get away and stop making an arse of himself, so he quickly marches out the room to leave Harry to fill in the paperwork.

__________

Another twenty minutes later, and after a quick tour of the main facilities, the two men are walking up to the large building that’s situated further up the hill, hidden behind a small patch of dense forest, to keep it out of sight from guests. They pass the lodge house, Louis explaining that that’s where James lives with his wife and children, and takes him across the staff car park and up to the main block. It’s a large four-story brick building, almost as old as the hotel itself, but lacks the warmth and grandeur, painted a simple white with few distinguishing features to note of, with the exception of the abundance of lush, green ivy scaling the wall at the north end.

“So this is the main staff quarters, we call them the Barracks. All full-time staff are eligible for accommodation, but some choose to live off-site, particularly those with families.” Louis opens the front door with his access card and steps aside to let Harry walk in first, Harry thanking him as he goes. “The whole building was done up about five years ago so it’s in pretty good nick, but obviously it’s not the most luxurious.”

Louis leads them down a long, echoing corridor, and into the huge main kitchen. “This is where everyone cooks for themselves. You get two meals a day when on shift but days off and any extras you need to fend for yourself. Everyone has a small cupboard to store food and their own shelf in one of the fridges over there,” he says pointing to the far corner where there are four large fridges lined up. 

“Are we allowed to bake?” Harry asks.

Louis thinks back to earlier in the interview, Harry having mentioned he was a keen cook and enjoyed making cakes, so should have expected the question. “Uh.. yeah, don’t see why not. I don’t think there is any baking equipment here though, so you would have to bring some from home if you want to. I’ll warn you though, the staff will be all over you for that. Zayn, our pastry chef, is notorious for not letting people eat his wares.” 

“Do I have to watch out for you being all over me too?” Harry’s face and tone are completely neutral, so Louis can’t tell how he’s meant to take the question. He decides to play it fairly safe. 

“I’m partial to a chocolate brownie or five, if they’re on the menu?” 

“Oh, chocolate brownies happen to be my speciality, you’re in luck. I’ll make sure you get your fill.” Harry grins at him. OK, Louis might just be filthy minded heathen and Harry didn’t mean anything by the statement but that definitely felt flirtatious. And Louis would be more than happy with getting filled with whatever Harry wants to offer him should the opportunity arise. He doesn’t want to embarrass himself by saying anything else though so he returns the grin and continues the tour.

“So the general rule is clean up as you go, be considerate of others. We do have a housekeeper, Lydia, but she’s got a lot on her plate including laundering and pressing everyone’s uniform so we try and help her out where we can. Right, through here is the T.V room.” He walks through a set of sliding double doors at the far end of the kitchen, Harry following him obediently, into a large airy space. There are several sofas, big, squishy armchairs and a huge entertainment system fitted with a massive flatscreen T.V, game consoles and Sky+ box. There’s also a large dining table at the far end, with a set of shelves filled with board games, books and DVDs alongside it.

“Oh wow, this is sick?!” Harry exclaims when he sees it all.

“Yup,” Louis agrees. “The owners were really nice and kitted this out. I even get a monthly allowance to buy new games and stuff. They really want people to be content here and enjoy their downtime. They appreciate we work hard and understand happy staff means happy customers. They see it as an investment in the long run as low staff turnover means lower costs.”

“That’s so cool,” Harry says, eyes roaming to take it all in.

They walk further into the room to where Liam is sitting playing on the XBox. “Hey Li, this is Harry, He’s applied for Tom’s job on reception. Harry, this is Liam, he’s the sports manager I mentioned earlier, in charge of the gym, swimming pool and tennis courts.” Liam pauses the game and stretches himself to reach over and shake Harry’s hand while Louis continues. “Staff can use the hotel facilities when they’re closed to the public, i.e after 10 p.m and before 8 a.m. I know that’s a bit rubbish but James doesn’t want us in there with the customers.”

Harry shrugs his shoulders. “I’m more of a running outdoors kinda guy so that’s fine.” 

Liam perks up, twisting himself on the sofa to regard Harry full on. “Oh cool, I go running too. I could show you the best routes around here if you wanted?”

Harry’s nods enthusiastically. “That would be great, if it’s not too much trouble? Thank you so much!” 

“Yeah course,” Liam smiles. “No-one else will go with me. They think playing FIFA on the Xbox is exercise enough,” he says, waving the controller in his hand.

“Eh… I play football with you out the back when it’s warm enough,” Louis interjects squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest. He wouldn’t want Harry thinking he’s lazy. 

Liam squints at him. “I can count on one hand the amount of times you’ve played footie this year.”

“Li, I think I can hear the aqua aerobics ladies calling for you,” he responds with a hint of acidity. “Come on Harry.” He puts a hand on small of Harry’s back to lead him away from the scene of the crime of the hopefully unintentional betrayal by Liam, in case he says anything else detrimental. 

“Bye Liam,” Harry tries, waving over his shoulder as Louis all but pushes him out the room. 

Once back in the corridor, they walk towards the stairs, Louis pointing out the laundry room, linen closet, Lydia and Gordon the groundskeeper’s office, and a couple of storage rooms before climbing the staircase up to the first floor. “OK, so there are three floors of bedrooms. Yours would be on this floor.” Louis pulls out the key that he brought from the office and leads Harry along to the door marked with a number six, opening it. Inside is a small but neat room with a single bed and bedside table, a desk, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a sink. “All the rooms have a sink in them with water suitable for drinking, and there are shower rooms and separate toilets at each end of the corridors. All the guys are on this floor, girls on the floor above, and senior management on the top floor.”

“So you’re not on this floor?” Harry questions. 

“No, um, our rooms are a bit bigger and we have en suite bathrooms,” Louis says. He’s always felt bad that it works like that, but he did live on this floor for three years before moving to the top, so he’s paid his dues.

“Oh, I see.” Harry hums thoughtfully looking around the room. “I guess I’ll need to make friends in high places if I want a decent shower then.” 

That sounds promising, but it still makes Louis flustered, laughing awkwardly. “Uh… yeah… I guess so… The uh… rooms. They have WiFi and are hoovered by Lydia once a week but changing the linen and keeping it tidy is your own responsibility, she is not our maid. She reports to me if any staff aren’t keeping their room in order. Please don’t make me have to scold you like a teacher, I hate it and it’s so easily avoidable.”

“Yes sir,” Harry drawls.

Fuck. That sounds so hot coming from him. Bloody hell. “Right. Uh…” Louis stares at Harry, having completely forgotten his train of thought. The corner of Harry’s lip twitches. 

“You were saying to keep the rooms tidy…”

“Uh… Yes! Um… The general rule is um… is to keep the noise down. You can come and go whenever you like, but as there are a variety of shift patterns including night shifts, we all try to keep quiet on the bedroom floors at all times, since some people need to sleep during the day. And try and refrain from coming back drunk and loud if you go off site for any reason. Do you have a partner?”

“A partner?” Harry repeats, an eyebrow raised.

“A significant other? We don’t allow any non-staff in the Barracks, so no bringing people back with you.”

“Oh right, sure, I’m single but I’ll keep that in mind, no non-staff in my room.” Louis can’t help but be elated that Harry’s single, even if he’s unsure as to how given that he looks like walking sex, but at least that’s one obstacle out the way. And Louis might be imagining it but he could have sworn Harry accentuated the words ‘ non-staff’.

“Well think that about covers it then. Do you have any further questions?”

Harry flicks at his nose and tucks his hair behind his left ear. “Uh… not really. Maybe when I’ll find out if I have the job?”

Time for Louis to lay his professional cards out. “Look, I’ll be straight with you Harry. I was in a bit of a bind anyways what with the time of year and all that, so I was going to have to give you the job purely on Niall’s recommendation, but I had to get you up here to make sure you were happy and you weren’t a total numpty. Luckily for us both, you aren’t, so if you’re up for it, the job is yours for the taking.” Louis refrains from adding ‘as am I’ as an adornment. 

“Are you serious? Oh wow! Thank you so much Mr Tomlinson!” Before Louis has an opportunity to respond, Harry is hugging him tightly, Louis unable to move with his arms pinned to his sides with Harry’s gesture. Louis takes the opportunity to breathe him in and he smells great, clean and earthy like vetiver and sandalwood. When Harry lets go and steps back again, there’s no hint of self-consciousness in his face or demeanour, no awareness that the act of hugging a perfect stranger might be deemed inappropriate. 

Louis brushes himself off and chuckles. “Please, call me Louis, Mr Tomlinson makes me sound like an old man. So I take it that’s a firm yes then?”

“Oh, sorry. Louis.” He repeats. Louis can’t help but admire the way Harry says his name, how his mouth moves while he forms the sound. “And yeah, definitely!” He giggles as well, a honeyed sound. “I can start straight away too. My boss at the cafe has other people desperate to cover shifts next week.” 

“Great, how does Monday sound? 10 a.m?”

“I’ll be here. Thank you so much, I can’t wait to start.”

Louis walks Harry back down to his car at the front of the hotel and wishes him a safe journey home before turning around and marching back into the building, with only one location in mind.

__________

“Horan,” Louis shouts across the empty bar at Niall’s back where he is standing in front of the back bar, possibly in the process of restocking bottles. Niall jumps in fright, turning around, raising a hand to stuff crisps into his mouth while he does it. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you.”

Niall waits for Louis to reach him, lifting the crisp packet above his head and leaning back, emptying the remaining crumbs into his open mouth before scrunching the empty foil bag into a ball and throwing it at a nearby bin. He misses, but waves a hand as if to say he’ll get it later. “What’ve I done now?”

Louis stops in front of the bar top and slaps his hands on the polished wooden surface. “You failed to mention to me how hot your mate Harry was.”

Niall closes his eyes and groans. “Oh God.”

“Yes,” Louis hisses, “exactly Niall. That was my first thought when I saw him. Kept that quiet didn’t you?”

Niall opens his eyes again and shakes his head. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t what?” Louis tilts his head to the side.

“Go after him.”

Louis crosses his arms over his chest. “Why not?”

“Because I know what you’re like.”

“No, you don’t.”

Niall sighs and wipes his hands on a tea towel hanging from his back pocket, then lifts a box from the floor and places it on the bar station in front of him, ripping the sellotape off the top and opening it up while he speaks to Louis. “I do. You get a bloke into your head and you won’t let it drop into you’ve got him. For example that guest, Teddy was it? The one from Texas last month?” He turns sideways and starts pulling out and passing bottles from one hand to the other and placing them on the back bar display.

“I was comforting him, Niall, he was having a traumatic trip,” Louis tells him unashamed. 

Niall throws out a flat chuckle. “The airline lost his luggage.”

“And if that has ever happened to you, you will be well aware of how traumatic that can be. I was doing my civic duty.”

Niall’s eye narrow. “By blowing him?”

“Precisely. And I didn’t exactly see you complaining when he was tipping you a fiver on every drink he bought after that, so scoff all you want, but fruit from the poisonous tree and all that.” Louis grins smugly when Niall’s face drops. Serves him right for being so judgemental.

“Urgh, is there not a rule? Like, against fraternisation with guests and employees?” Niall breaks down the now empty box and places it on top of the pile on the ground beside him, bending down to pick a new box up and repeat the whole process.

“You’re saying that like you weren’t shagging Ellie from housekeeping for like six months last year. And no actually, I’ve read my contract and the company handbook thoroughly. And it’s only ever discreetly and when I’m not on duty. Plus it kind of goes with industry; young workforce, raging hormones and all that.” Louis loves sex but he also loves his job, he wouldn’t sacrifice one for the other.

“James would be mad if he found out. You being a manager and all.”

Louis waves him off. “Oh please. If he wasn’t happily married he’d be shagging every Miss Marple in this place if only to get a better Trip Advisor score. So, anyways. Harry? What’s his deal? Is he into blokes?” He leans to rest his against the bar top.

Niall, now finished with the stocking up, turns his hand to set up a chopping board on the bar station. “Does that matter to you? I thought you liked a challenge?”

“Calm down. I like a challenge but not an impossible one. I have never pursued any man that hasn’t expressed at least some form of interest in other men, or anyone that’s not single. Not my style. I like them willing and able, but also drama free.”

“Well, I really don’t know about Harry. He never mentioned seeing anyone or even liking anyone.” He grabs some limes from a nearby fruit box and starts slicing them into wedges with a sharp knife. 

“Really? In the whole time you were friends he never mentioned one person he liked?”

“Not that I can recall.” That’s odd, but Louis supposes it kind of goes with Harry’s non-laddish persona that he gives off. 

Louis hums thoughtfully. “I think he was flirting but I couldn’t tell, he’s tough to read. He called me Sir at one point, thought I was going to bust a nut right there and then.”

Niall’s face twists in horror. “You’re disgusting. Please, can you leave him alone?”

“Give me one good reason why not, if he’s up for it? Which he might very well be.”

Niall puts the knife down and places his closed fists onto the counter, leaning forward so his shoulders are hunched, looking at Louis sternly. “Because he’s really sweet and innocent and I don’t want you messing him about.”

“News flash, that’s the whole turn on. And I won’t mess him about.” Louis rests his chin in his cupped hand and looks off into space. “I wonder if he’d let me come on his dimples, they’re big enough,” he ponders out loud. 

Niall bows his head in distaste, then waves his hands at Louis like he’s had enough of the discussion. “Stop talking. Seriously, stop bloody talking. He’s too nice for you, it will only end in disaster.”

“You keep saying that but you’re only making me more determined you know.”

Niall wipes his hands again with his cloth, jaw tense as his eyes narrow in contemplation at the man in front of him. After a pause, he opens his mouth. “OK, I need to tell you something and you have to promise not to laugh.”

Oh here we go, now the truth is away to come out. “Okaaaay…”

He drops the towel. “Harry still believes in Santa Claus.”

Louis hoots out a single loud chord of laughter. “Fuck off. No he doesn’t.”

“He does. I swear.” Niall manages to say it with a completely straight face, but he must be taking the piss.

“Niall, he’s twenty-two. Do you honestly expect me to believe he’s managed to make it this far through life without someone telling him the truth that Santa isn’t real?”

Niall motions as if to say ‘I don’t know what to tell you’ before placing his hands on his hips. “I met his childhood best friend one time when he was up visiting Harry in Leeds for New Year and so naturally it came up given the time of year. He told me Harry’s gran died around Christmas when he was still quite young, and she used to take him to see Santa every year at the local village fair. Harry’s mum never had the heart to tell him it was all a lie once his gran passed in fear of upsetting him or ruining the memory of her or something, and it kinda went on from there. Everyone thinks he’s so nice they don’t want to be the one to burst his bubble.”

Louis shakes his head in disbelief. “That’s very sad and all, but he seems like a sensible, clever person. This cannot be true.”

“It is,” Niall tells him with determination. “I bet it’ll get mentioned soon enough after he has started here and when you get to know him better it will all make sense.”

“Are you actually telling me I have to pretend to believe in Father Christmas to get laid?” Louis asks him as he pulls his phone out of his trouser pocket and brings up a new Safari web page. 

“No, I’m telling you that he isn’t worth tarnishing.” He cranes his neck to try and get a look at the screen in Louis’ hand. “What are you doing?”

“I’m googling where I can buy or rent adult elf costumes.”

“Why?” Niall whines. 

Louis scrolls down the results his search has brought up looking for anything that might be relevant while he continues to address the Irishman. “Because he might like that. If I have to dress up like an elf to get Dimples to fuck me silly then I will.”

“You wouldn’t.”

Louis looks up at him with a smirk. “Wouldn’t I? You know my motto, go hard or go home.”

“I hate you so much.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what they all say before they’re getting their dicks out for me Nialler,” he retorts as he turns around and starts walking out the room.

“You’re never getting near my dick or Harry’s for that matter!” Niall calls out after him. 

“Watch me,” Louis utters under his breath, even though Niall couldn’t possibly hear him. Because Niall’s right, Louis does get something in his head and won’t drop it until he’s got it, and the only thing that Louis has racing through his mind right now is Harry fucking Styles. 

_____________

Niall, as it turns out, is right about too many things. Frustratingly for Louis, he was very right about Harry being sweet and innocent and too nice for him. He’s too nice for anyone really, Louis having never met someone like him before in his life, so the whole trying to have sex with Harry has been put firmly onto the back burner, elf costumes included. For now at least.

When Harry had turned up that Monday, bright eyed and bushy tailed, he had instantly relayed to Louis all the research on Oakwood and the surrounding area he had done over the weekend, explaining that he wanted to be knowledgable in case customers asked him when the hotel was built or about the history of the county the resided in. Louis didn’t have the heart to tell him that their guests were more concerned with what time the bar opened and how much a late checkout cost, and he certainly wasn’t going to be the one to extinguish Harry’s guileless enthusiasm. 

Once he had personally helped Harry with his luggage up to his room in the Barracks, he had provided him with his uniform, leaving Harry to change while having a quick coffee with Niall in the kitchen. When Harry had entered himself in the full get up, Niall had wolf whistled and Harry had turned as crimson as the waistcoat and matching tie he was now in while fixing his hair needlessly, before Louis walked him down to the hotel and dutifully handed him over to Imogen, the head receptionist, for his first day of training. He’d confessed on the walk over that he was worried about making mistakes, but Louis had told him that he should take his time and ask questions if he was confused about anything, that Louis, Imogen and the rest of the staff were here to help, and that there was no reason to be nervous but if he was it was completely normal. Harry had smiled and thanked him, before tottering off to be shown how to use the booking system.

Harry makes Louis nervous though. Not like, anxious or scared nervous, like Harry’s intimidating, because he isn’t in the slightest. Harry puts everyone at ease instantly as he cloaks them in an effortless calm with his sunny disposition, his easy grin and rugged yet dulcet tones. As Harry’s first week bled into his second, Imogen informed Louis that the entire reception team were impressed with how quickly Harry took to the training, and how confident he was with guests. Lydia had gushed to Louis one morning about how Harry repeatedly offered to help with her workload when he had free time and had baked her peppermint macarons which were her favourite. Liam was delighted to have a new running buddy, especially one that could keep up with him and provided homemade energy bars afterwards. The only person who didn’t seem to like Harry was Zayn, and that’s only because Zayn had tried Harry’s gluten-free lemon and raspberry sponge and had been annoyed because he had always struggled to get a good texture when experimenting with different flours in his own baking, and gone in a huff for a couple of days.

No, Harry makes Louis very nervous in an ‘I think you are so hot and cute and funny I make a fool of myself whenever I’m around you’ type way, which is very unsettling because no-one makes Louis nervous. Ever. On the list of things that Niall Horan is right about, Louis going after someone he wants and succeeding is pretty much at the top, but there is something about this one, this man-shaped slice of heaven that gets Louis hot under the collar and turns him into a fumbling, gooey mess. 

It also doesn’t help that Louis has no idea whether Harry is in any way interested in not only Louis, but in men in general. He’ll very occasionally say something with a look that makes Louis suspect he might, like one afternoon when Louis was crouching down to get something out of a cupboard in the office behind reception, Harry had quietly edged up beside him and said, “while you’re down there,” eyes boring into Louis’ with a pregnant pause and a lick of the lips that from anyone else would have been downright sinful, but then followed it up with an angelic, “could you grab me an ink cartridge? The printer is running low on the cyan one.” On the very odd occasion that Louis chances his luck and builds up the courage to say something flirtatious back, Harry ends up either going beetroot or simply carries on with the conversation as if he didn’t register the comment in the first place as anything other than idle chitchat.

Louis had also almost forgotten all about the whole ‘believing in Santa Claus’ business, but as it turns out, Niall was very correct about that too.

Louis’ hanging around reception like he has been known to do the past couple of weeks, funnily enough, and luckily for him Imogen isn’t there to shoo him away like she normally does, so he’s pretending to be working when he’s actually watching the way Harry’s hands move nimbly as he types into the computer when Harry’s voice shakes him from his very ‘not safe for work’ daydream. 

“You looking forward to Christmas then?”

Louis startles. “What?”

“Are you looking forward to Christmas?” Harry repeats. He’s stopped typing and he’s turned towards Louis’ direction while he grabs some keycards to load room numbers into them. Louis’ standing at the end of the reception desk, his hand hovering over the page with a pen that he hasn’t used in several minutes because Harry is so damn distracting. 

Louis fixes his tie and stares down at his notepad. He scribbles random numbers that don’t mean anything for something to do. “Uh… Yeah, I guess so. I have to work and the lead up here at the hotel is so busy with parties and that so by the time it hits I’m pretty exhausted. What about you? You looking forward to it?” Louis finally looks up and Harry’s observing him with interest.

“You need to make sure you look after yourself Louis, take lots of vitamins and prioritise sleep you know?” Louis nods, like he’s guilty of something, but Harry continues. “But yeah think Christmas will be good. Bit different, not being at home with the family and that, but I love this time of year, putting up the decorations and everything. When do they go up in the hotel?”

“Last weekend of November so not long.”

Harry’s face lights up. “Oooh, can I help?”

Louis shakes his head solemnly, not wanting to disappoint him. “We actually have a professional company come and do it because there’s so much. They literally come in and blitz it in one night, don’t even know they’ve been and in the morning you wake up and it’s like a reindeer threw up.”

Apparently, the news does little to dismay Harry. “Oh my God that sounds amazing!” he gasps, “kinda like when Santa Claus comes eh?”

Louis cocks his head. “What d’you mean?”

“Well like how Santa comes on Christmas Eve when everyone’s asleep and you don’t know?” Shit. He’s being serious. Niall wasn’t lying when he said Harry believes in bloody Father Christmas. Louis will actually have to play along with this. 

“Oh right, sure.” Louis looks back down at his notepad, in case his face gives away that he’s lying. 

“You looking forward to that too?” Harry questions softly. 

Louis’ glances up. Harry’s face is still open and happy. “What? Santa coming?”

“Yeah.”

Louis clears his throat and puts his pen down. “Yeah, I love Santa. Santa’s the best. What a lad, giving out all those presents to everyone. So generous.” Louis is glad no-one is here to witness this, because this is so cringeworthy. Just to get a nice boy to smile at him. 

“Yeah. He’s great.” Oh OK, the smile is worth it. Totally worth the cringe. “I’ve always wondered how he does it?” Harry plays with his lip between his fingers, staring off into the distance as if he is properly contemplating how someone could deliver presents to millions and millions of homes in one night all over the world. Good God, he’s so flippin’ gorgeous it’s alarming. 

“Magic I suppose. Don’t think he’ll ever let us mere mortals in on his trade secrets will he?”

Harry shrugs his shoulders and sighs. “No, I suppose not.” He goes back to tapping on the computer keyboard. 

“We have some spare Christmas decorations in storage,” Louis says suddenly. “We could decorate the Barracks if you wanted to? Nobody usually cares enough to bother but it could be nice. Could even get a tree?” What the hell is he saying? He’s going to have to buy a bloody tree out of his own pocket now because he can’t keep his mouth from running away from him. 

Harry’s head whips around. “Really? We can? That would be so fun. And we can play Christmas songs and I’ll bake us some chocolate brownies to eat while we do it, it’ll be awesome!” Fuck it. Louis would drain his entire bank account if it gets Harry to look at him like that. 

“Sounds great.”

__________

As much as Louis is enjoying getting to know Harry during work hours, Niall has hogged most of his free time when he isn’t baking, much to Louis’ frustration, because it’s meant that he can’t so much a test the waters of flirting beyond the confines of the reception desk without Niall giving him an evil glare or kick under the table at dinner. Luckily, Louis is in charge of the staff rotas, so he continues to schedule a similar work pattern for Harry and himself as he has been doing, but puts Niall on completely opposite shifts. Niall gives him hell for it because he can see right through Louis even if Harry can’t, but he can’t prove anything, so Louis proceeds to tell him to suck it up and go clean the keg cellar. 

“Hey Louis,” Harry says on Tuesday afternoon, bounding over to where Louis is lying along the sofa playing the Xbox and launching himself into a nearby armchair.

“Hey Harry, you alright?” he replies casually, like he hasn’t been waiting to see him for the last hour, knowing he finished his shift then. Not that he knows Harry’s schedule off by heart of course. 

“Not too bad thanks. What’s this you're playing?” Harry asks, eyes flicking to the T.V screen.

“Just a bit of Call Of Duty.” Louis pauses the game he’s on and holds the controller out towards Harry. “You played before? You can have a go if you want?”

Harry’s nose scrunches and his mouth thins in distaste. “Nah, not really my thing, video games, or um, stuff with lots of violence.”

“Oh right, I’ll switch it off,” he tells him, getting up of the sofa to switch the console off where it’s sitting below the T.V screen. 

“Don’t!” Harry yelps, but Louis continues despite his protest. “Oh um… You didn’t have to do that?”

“It’s cool, I’m a bit bored of it anyways. You going for a run?” Louis asks, standing up fully and clocking Harry’s clothing. He’s wearing a long sleeved zip up polo shirt and matching running joggers and bright red trainers.

“Yeah, in a bit. Liam’s working until five so going to go then, got a few hours to kill first.”

Louis tips his head towards the shelving at the back of the room. “You wanna play a board game or something?”

Harry sits up eagerly. “Oh yeah? That sounds good. What d’you wanna play?”

“You can choose. I’m gonna’ go make a coffee. You want one?”

“Sure. Black please.”

Louis wanders through to the kitchen, having a quick chat with Marta, one of the chefs, who’s in there cooking while he makes the drinks. When he returns with two steaming mugs, Harry has set up Battleship at the dining table.

“Oooh, I’m awesome at this. You’re going down,” Louis forewarns. 

Harry looks Louis slowly up and down and runs his thumb and finger along his bottom lip. “You’ll be the one going down Louis. Trust me,” his voice syrupy thick.

That was flirting. That was a shameless, I’m undressing you with my eyes flirting if ever Louis saw it. But he’s made mistakes before, so he doesn’t say anything in return other than a murmur of ‘we’ll see’ and deposits the coffees on the table, sliding Harry’s over before taking a seat opposite him. They silently position their various boat pieces on their individual grids and Harry offers Louis the first go.

They play back and forth for a while, chatting mindlessly, mostly about work, as they take it in turns to fire a shot at each other. It’s all very civilised until…

“D4.”

“Hit,” Louis tells him, his body sagging in the chair. That’s his last boat. He’s only hit three of Harry’s. 

“You like the D don’t you Louis?” Harry remarks. 

“Huh?” Louis’ head shoots up.

Harry’s lips pucker like he’s fighting to suppress a smile. “The D line, that’s the second boat I’ve hit on that line.”

“Oh right. Yeah, I guess you’re right. I am partial to the D line.” He’d definitely be partial to Harry’s D that’s for sure. 

“Good to know I’ve got your number for future games.”

“Oh, you’re planning another match already?” Louis lifts his mug to his mouth to hide his smirk. 

“Well of course. Someone that goes down easily and likes the D, I’d be silly to miss another opportunity like that, wouldn’t I?” Harry’s mouth perks up to one side. Louis sputters into his coffee and chokes a bit, coughing awkwardly. Jesus. “You OK there?”

“Ye-.” He coughs again, thumping at his chest with his fist and putting his mug back down. “Yes. I’m fine. Just went down the wrong way. Sorry.”

“You want a shot then?”

A shot on what? A shot on bloody what Harry? “A shot…?”

“On my grid. It’s your turn.” He says it innocently enough but Louis cannot be imagining the subtext here surely?

“Oh right, yes, right. Um… J6.”

“Miss. D3.”

“Hit. F2.”

“Miss. D2. Have you written your letter to Santa Claus yet?”

Louis is thrown by the sudden change of conversation. “M'sorry what number did you say?” 

“D2.”

“Oh. That’s a hit. And um… No, I haven’t yet, need to get on that. Have you? Uh… A4.” Oh man alive. He’s going to have to draft a fucking letter to post to Lapland. How is this a thing in Louis’ life?

Harry scratches at his chin. “Hit. And no, I haven’t either. I know what I’ll be asking for though. Just hope I’ve been good enough to get it.” 

“You think you’ve been good all year? Kept yourself off the naughty list?” Louis raises his eyebrows at him. 

Harry nods eagerly in response. “Oh yes, I always try to be good at everything I put my mind to.”

“Like picking the right D?” Louis chances, feeling a new wind of confidence.

“Exactly. D5.”

“Looks like you got me.”

Harry grins and sits back in his chair. “Lucky me. What’s my prize?”

Louis swallows and throws caution to the wind. “A date?”

Harry’s face changes in an instant, from cheeky to panicked. “A what?” He sits up poker straight.

“A date,” Louis repeats, at a much more muted level. “With me?” he adds, in case there was any confusion. 

“Oh right um…” Harry worries at his lip. 

Shit. Louis’ read this totally wrong. Fuck. “Sorry, that was, um… I shouldn’t have, only when you said… I thought maybe… God, you’re not even gay, are you? Shit, sorry forget I said anything.” Louis decides right there and then his letter to Father Christmas will be begging for this to be erased from his memory, or a least for the ground to swallow him up whole. 

Harry starts shaking his head and his hands in alarm. “No, no, I’m gay. I’m soooo gay. I’m like, rainbow flag waving, Lady Gaga loving, Kinsey six gay. I just…” he falters.

Louis feels a little less like he wants to cry. “You have been flirting with me, right?” he implores faintly.

“Yeah I have um… OK, I’m being an idiot. Can we start over? Ask me again.” Harry closes his eyes and drops his head back, brushing his hair off away from his face with his fingers before taking his deep breath and exhaling, opening his eyes again and dropping his chin back down, now that he has gathered himself. He nods for Louis to continue. He’s so damn cute. 

Louis chuckles. “Harry. Would you like to go out on a date with me?”

“Why yes Louis, I would love to. I’m free on Thursday?” Harry beams. 

“As am I. How convenient.” Louis’ cheeks hurt he’s smiling so hard.

“Amazing.” Harry starts to dismantle his Battleship grid. “I’ve still got some time to kill before I meet Liam, you wanna help me bake some biscuits?”

“Well that depends. Do I get to lick the bowl?”

“You can lick anything you want,” Harry winks at him.

Louis can’t help but laugh, his belly flipping somersaults. “Save some material for the date Dimples.”

__________

By Thursday evening, Louis is feeling apprehensive. He hasn’t been on a proper date for a while because he tends to miss the date part and skip straight to the sex part, which he doesn’t want to do with Harry. Partly because he’s not convinced that would be Harry’s style but more because Harry deserves the full treatment, even if Louis doesn’t get so much as a kiss at the end of it. Alright, thats a lie, he’s hoping for at least a kiss. He’s been thinking about how the boy’s mouth would feel against his own for weeks after all.

He’s changed his outfit fifteen times and redid his hair at least half that. He also put on way too much cologne and then had to shower himself off because he was reeking of it so now he’s got the bottle and he’s lightly dabbing it in all the right places with a cautious hand when there’s a knock at the door. He looks at his watch. Shit, he’s fifteen minutes behind, this is not a good start. When he opens the door, Harry has a worried look on his face and his hands clasped behind his back.

“Hi Louis, sorry... um... was a bit worried I got the time wrong ‘cause I thought we’d said 5.30pm but then it went passed 5.30pm and… um… and then you didn’t come down to my room and thought maybe you’d changed your mind but… well… figured you’d have told me if you’d changed your mind because we work together and that would be awkward working together if you’d asked me out then changed your mind so… uh, I thought you’d want to tell me straight away to make it less awkward so maybe I just got the wrong time or summat ‘cause you didn’t come down and then I thought I would double check about the time but you see… um… I realised I didn’t have your number to text or phone you to check about the time so was going to wait in the TV room but then you might have come to my door and knocked and I wouldn’t haven’t answered ‘cause I wasn’t there ‘cause I was in the T.V room and, like, then you’d have thought I’d changed my mind ‘cause we didn’t agree to meet in the T.V room maybe, and I definitely didn’t change my mind ‘cause I’m really looking forward to going on a date with you and I was generally worried so yeah, that’s why I’m here, like… uh… at your door.”

Louis would maul him right there in the hallway if he thought it wouldn’t be against first date etiquette. But he really, really wants to. He settles for stepping forward and stroking Harry’s arm through his coat gently. “Sorry to make you worry Dimples, just running a little behind. I definitely haven’t changed my mind, I’m really looking forward to our date too.”

Harry releases the hold on his breath and his body relaxes. “OK great. Was worried in case I got the time wrong.”

“You mentioned that,” Louis smiles softly at him.

“M'sorry Louis.” His bottom lip sticks out. Louis wants to bite it.

“Don’t be silly, let me grab my stuff. You look gorgeous by the way.” Louis says as he turns to grab his sheepskin denim jacket from his bed and slings it on over his long sleeved top he’s teamed with skinny jeans. He didn’t want to go too dressed up for what he has planned. Harry himself is head to toe black, from his own skinny jeans, black shirt and long wool coat, broken up with a maroon and golden scarf.

“Thank you. You do too. Will you be warm enough?”

“Oh yeah, I’ll be fine, we’re going to be working our muscles after all. Don’t want to get too sweaty now,” Louis tells him teasingly. 

Harry’s eyes widen as he steps back to give Louis room to exit through the door and lock it behind him. “We are?”

“You bet,” Louis winks.

__________

“I absolutely love ice skating!!”

“Yeah? Glad I picked it then.” Louis replies to Harry as he tries to do up his skates. 

He had brought Harry to the Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland, just under an hours drive away, figuring that a date to do with Christmas was a safe shout, but he hadn’t told Harry where they were going to keep it a surprise. The journey had been easy, Harry mindlessly rambling and about anything and everything, Louis content to listen to he drove and answer the questions Harry occasionally peppered him with. They had arrived in plenty of time for their pre-booked skating slot, so had wandered around the funfair surrounded by happy families and couples enjoying the yuletide ambiance before having a go on the dodgems, Harry cackling at Louis’ boisterous manoeuvres in the electric cart, his hair whipping in his rosy cheeks as he gripped onto the sides.

Harry stands up from the bench they’re sitting on beside the skate hire kiosk, having already got his skates properly tied. “Have you been before? I’m pretty good, you know.”

“I’ve been a couple of times but you might need to help me,” Louis says through gritted teeth, trying to tighten his laces up unsuccessfully. 

“Here, let me do it, Louis.” Harry kneels down ungracefully, what with the skates on his feet, and takes over from a frustrated Louis, sorting the worn cords for him and tying them securely on his right then his left foot. Once he’s done, he slides a ticklish hand up Louis’ calf and pats his knee. “You good?” Louis nods obtusely. “Great, let’s go!”

They help each other up and Harry confidently takes Louis’ hand as they hobble across the safety matting towards the rink entrance, Louis appreciative of the support because he’s already feeling unsteady and he hasn’t reached the ice yet. Maybe this wasn’t very clever for a first date, it’s been a while since he’s done this.

Louis falls over three times in the first ten minutes. He can tell that Harry is trying his absolute hardest not to laugh at him and always helps him up, but it’s still humiliating. Why on earth did he think this was a good idea? Oh yeah, because Harry is having a whale of a time. When Louis gets more confident as the hour drifts on, and doesn’t need as much hand-holding (he still needs some, but more because he likes holding Harry’s hand), Harry starts showing off, skating backwards and doing little spins, encouraging Louis to ‘keep those knees bent’ as he pushes off, to ‘go a little faster’, and pulls him along as they circle the rink in loop after loop. It’s funny that someone that’s as clumsy as Harry is on dry land could be good on the ice, but he is, and Harry’s joy is so contagious, as the hour comes to a close, Louis ends up feeling a little disappointed it’s over with. 

Once they have got their regular footwear back on and deposited their rentals, Louis suggests grabbing some food in the Alpine-themed bar and restaurant. They share a portion of sugary, freshly cooked doughnuts sitting side by side on a bench, thighs pressed together, at one of the large, wooden tables and finish it off with a hot chocolate each, complete with marshmallows and whipped cream. Harry insists he pays for it because Louis had treated him to everything else. 

“You’ve um.. got some cream on your lip,” Louis informs Harry as Harry returns his mug to the table having taken a mouthful of the warm beverage. 

“I do? Where?” Harry asks. Louis points to his own top lip in demonstration, but when Harry attempts to get rid of it with his index finger, he misses completely. “Don’t laugh, help me,” he pouts. 

Louis takes a split second before deciding to just go for it, leaning forward and cupping Harry’s cheek while he sucks the cream off and turning it into a sweet kiss on Harry’s mouth, Harry sighing softly with the gesture. When he pulls back enough to look into Harry’s eyes, he breathes out the word ‘yummy’ at him.

“Mmm, me or the cream?”

“You. Definitely you, Dimples,” Louis tells him honestly, stroking his cheek. 

Harry smirks. “I can’t believe you actually fell for the whole ‘something on my lip’ routine.”

Louis rears his head right back and retracts his hand, looking at Harry in surprise. “What? You did that on purpose?”

“Course I did, been waiting for you to kiss me all night,” Harry says pulling him back in by a palm on the back of Louis’ neck to mumble against his mouth, “and I think I need another, thank you very much.” This time it’s Harry that kisses Louis sweetly, but he deepens it within moments slipping his tongue in to meet Louis’ in a gentle sweep as Louis opens up for him. Harry tastes velvety rich, of cocoa and winter spice and it forces Louis to scoot closer, well as much as he can given the awkward sideways position they are in, and he digs blindly into the opening of Harry’s coat to smooth his hands around Harry’s warm sides. He’s absolutely delicious, Louis thinks. 

_________

The trip home was filled with more silence than the one there, but comfortably so, the majority of the time Harry humming along with the radio as he gazed out the window onto the twinkling houses and streetlights that whizzed by, when he wasn’t occasionally gazing at Louis when he must have thought Louis was concentrating on the road and didn’t notice. Louis’ lips still tingled from the memory of Harry’s on them, and he may have broken the speed limit once or twice in a race to get back and finish the perfect evening off with the goodnight kiss he was planning at Harry’s door. Harry apparently had other ideas. 

“Is that it?” Harry asks when Louis pulls away from where he’s had Harry pressed up against the wall in the hallway outside Harry’s room snogging for the last ten minutes and attempts to bid him a fond farewell. 

“Is what it?” Louis’ hips are still pinned against Harry’s, and he’s having to ignore how perfectly their hot cores line up against each other when Louis is slotted in between Harry’s spread thighs like he is. 

Harry plays with the sheepskin collar on Louis’ jacket. “Like the night, is that all that’s going to happen?”

Louis frowns. “Well, I thought so. Did you have something else in mind?” 

“Uh.. kind of… was sort of hoping…” Harry trails off.

“Yes?”

“Um.. well full on sex is probably a bit fast but maybe a blow job or summat?”

That was not what Louis was expecting. “You want me to suck you off?”

“Uh no… um…actually, I was hoping I could suck you off.”

Holy fucking shit. Louis pushes himself off of Harry because he’s going to get hard right there in the corridor. “Are you kidding me?”

Harry’s voice drops to an almost whisper “No? Uh… Unless you don’t want to? Sorry… I shouldn’t have said that… I’m so sorry.” He nibbles at his lip while he looks off to the side.

“No, no you’re fine, I’m just, a bit shocked, that’s all,” Louis tells him, stroking at his forearm. “I was hoping you were into me, but I didn’t imagine you’d be that into me.”

“Louis…” A look of genuine confusion crosses his gorgeous features as he turns back to face him. “You are the hottest guy I have ever met, I’ve wanted to get my mouth on you since the second I saw you.”

Louis can’t help but be shocked by the compliment. “What? You could have anyone? You _have_ seen a mirror right?”

“Hardly,” he scoffs. “And I want you. Just you. In my mouth. Now… If that’s ok with you? Please?”

“So polite young Harry,” Louis winks. “I’m all yours.” 

“Good, that’s really good.” Harry nods to himself, appearing relieved as he fishes his key out his pocket and turns to his room. “OK, you coming in?” Harry checks, but he doesn’t wait for a response as he takes Louis’ hand and pulls him through the door, closing it and locking it behind them. 

“You’ve done this before right?” Louis asks him from where he is rooted to the spot as Harry brushes past him to walk across the room to switch on the bedside lamp.

“Done what? Got it on with my boss?” 

He doesn’t want to ask but he feels like he needs to. “No, like uh sex? Oral sex?”

Harry turns to face him, taking off his coat in the process and laying over it over the back of his desk chair. “Louis, do you think I’m a virgin?” He toes off his boots.

“Uh well I wasn’t sure, Niall said he didn’t know about you ever being with someone and sometimes you can seem a bit nervous.” Louis feels stupid because he doesn’t seem nervous at all right now, as he watches Harry stalk towards him and start to peel Louis’ jacket off. 

Harry smiles and brushes his lips against Louis’. “OK, to clarify, I’m not a virgin. I’m not saying I’m all that experienced but I have enough that you shouldn’t worry about it. And I don’t talk about stuff I do with people because it’s private. And if I’m ever nervous with you it’s because you are so out of my league as well as being my boss and I’m kinda still confused as to why you’re even here with me right now.” Out of his league? He must have fallen and hit his head or something on the ice when Louis wasn’t looking. How could he possibly think that? If anything it’s the other way round. He shakes his head and quietly tells Harry that he’s crazy and that Louis’ the lucky one here as he gets a hand round each wrist and pulled back towards the bed, Harry dropping down to sit on the white duvet and spreading his legs, shuffling Louis by gripping the back of his thighs to settle him in between.

Once Harry seems happy with their positions, he starts to unbutton his black shirt, motioning for Louis to remove his own top. When Harry comes to strip the black fabric from his torso, Louis can’t hold in the gasp that leaves his mouth. “Jesus, how many tattoos have you got babe?” Louis can’t believe it. He’d spied the little cross on Harry’s hand before now, but since he has seen him in nothing but long sleeves and high necklines since he started, whether that be his uniform or his casual clothes to protect him from the chilly weather, he had no idea just how many were inked into Harry’s skin. It’s seems tonight is revelation after revelation, Louis witnessing the blossoming of a man, the deciphering of a conundrum before his very eyes. Louis drops his top to the floor and reaches a hand out to run a finger over the anatomical heart on Harry’s bicep.

Harry squirms at the ticklish sensation. “Well, you know how it is,” he starts, nodding at Louis’ own permanent designs, “you get one or two then it becomes addictive.” He reaches out to start undoing the buttons on Louis’ jeans.

Louis can’t help himself, he leans down and gives Harry another kiss, a funny thought popping into his head, given the surprising turn of events and Harry’s newfound confidence. “You know, you’re being very naughty. How do you think Santa would feel about you going down on a strange man, he might end up bringing you coal in your stocking?”

Harry laughs lightly. “Well you aren’t strange, I know you and I like you. And you took me on a lovely date. If anything Santa would be mad if I didn’t show my appreciation, because that’s bad manners. Plus if I do it really well, he’ll simply have to keep me on the good boys' list won’t he?” He pulls down Louis’ now undone jeans and then his boxers to his knees, and bites his lip at the sight of Louis’ hardening cock. “Well, that’s a tasty looking candy cane right there.”

Louis covers his eyes with his hands and groans. “You didn’t just call my dick a candy cane, did you?”

“Yup,” Harry giggles, and reaches up to take Louis’ cock in his hand, swiping his fist loosely up and down it a couple of times. “And I’ve got a very sweet tooth.” Louis opens his mouth to tell him he’s ridiculous but the words get lost in his throat as he watches Harry lean forward and his tongue peeks out to give the crown a few kitten licks. 

Louis releases a series of soft hisses through clenched teeth and his hand moves to brace himself by resting it on Harry’s shoulder as Harry sucks softly on his tip, before releasing and lowering his head to nose at and press lusty kisses to Louis’ balls, laying his tongue flat and licking a wide, wet path up his length, one, two, three times in quick succession. He dips the nib of his tongue into Louis’ slit and then brings his lips close and spits, using his grip to spread the saliva from head to base, leaving a single strand of spittle as a glistening connection from his plush mouth to Louis’ cock. 

“Louis, can I, um... Fuck,” he mutters, looking up at him from under his lashes as his palm continues to stroke. “This is turning me on so much. Can I touch myself? Please?” The whine and desperation in his tone shouldn’t make Louis’ cock throb but it does, goosebumps pulling at Louis’ skin in response to the rough nuance of his request.

Louis swallows harshly. “Of course babe. You’re doing so well.” Harry wastes no time in dropping his hold to scramble to unbutton his jeans and lifting himself up enough off the bed to yank them down so the waistband is now sitting at the bottom of his arse, along with his briefs. It gives him enough space to pull his own stiff prick out without infringing his ability to keep Louis in-between his thighs. He’s got the prettiest cock Louis has ever seen, and also one of the biggest, the sight heating his skin once again with the prospect of future endeavours should he be granted the opportunity. Harry makes to spit in his own hand, but Louis stops him, reaching out and lifting Harry’s palm to his own mouth, licking and dribbling onto it so Harry has the lubrication he seeks. 

Harry’s eyes screw shut for a second as he breathes deeply with a soft whimper before opening them again and stroking himself with Louis’ gifted riches. “You’re so hot, so fucking sexy. Oh my God.” His free hand comes up and claws at Louis’ hip and bare arse. 

Louis weaves his fingers into Harry’s hair behind his ear. “You’re stunning Harry. Drop-dead gorgeous. And so good with your mouth. Want you.” Harry preens, reattaching his slick rose-tinted mouth to Louis’ cock and taking him as far down as he can. Louis reacts by pulling on Harry’s tendrils, ripping a moan from Harry’s vocal cords that flickers right through Louis’ insides. “You like that? When I tug your hair?” Harry nods around Louis’ shaft and presses forward until he gags himself, Louis feeling the unmistakable attempt at swallowing in the back of Harry’s throat. Harry’s cheeks are firmly hollowed as he moves his head back and forth fluidly, building the tension in the coil of pleasure at the base of Louis’ spine while he continues to work himself over with pace. Louis heaps constant praise as his hips move of their own accord, practically fucking Harry’s face while whispering accolades down at the teary-eyed boy with a gruff voice, his thighs and calves burning with the strain of keeping himself upright during such intense gratification. 

Eventually, it becomes too much, and Louis’ hand lets go, telling Harry to pull off if he doesn’t want Louis to come down his throat. Harry pays him no mind and continues his movements until Louis is unloading onto Harry’s waiting tongue in spurts, taking himself in his hand to run the soaking tip all over Harry’s lips once he’s done. Christ, he looks incredible. “You want me to finish you off?” Louis pants.

“No, just… Please. Watch me,” he begs huskily, voice wrecked. So Louis does. With a hand clutching the side of Harry’s neck he watches as Harry jerks himself to fruition and comes all over his own stomach, fingers still digging into the brawn of Louis’ arse, Louis bending to tongue into Harry’s mouth unceremoniously while he rides the waves of his orgasm to the very end.

Louis pulls away first and tugs his briefs and jeans back on, not really caring about a bit of residual spunk when he only has to go upstairs to go to bed, but he turns to the bedroom sink and grabs a facecloth, dampening it under the tap before returning to Harry who’s still panting lightly and looking a bit dazed. He wipes him down and throws the cloth back in the basin, as Harry gets the cognisance to tuck his cock away by pulling his jeans off completely but pulling his boxers back up over his arse and releasing the waistband against his skin with a soft snap. He rearranges himself properly on the bed and makes grabby hands at Louis, while Louis toes off his trainers that he never got round to removing and crawls up until they are lying side by side facing each other on the mattress. 

“That was great. Thank you.” Louis says as he strokes Harry’s ribcage and hip.

“God, yeah, it really was.” Harry’s fingers trace the outline of the wording of Louis’ chest tattoo.

“Look,” Louis hesitates, knowing how this might come across. “I really want to stay here with you all night but I’m working early tomorrow morning and two people in a single bed isn’t conducive for a good night’s sleep. Is it OK if we have a kiss then I go back to my room? I don’t want you to think I’m running out on you.”

Harry smiles. “Well, that depends. How long do I get to kiss you for?” 

Louis glances at his watch. “Fifteen minutes.”

“Forty-five,” Harry pouts.

Louis pecks his lips. “Thirty.”

“OK, you have a deal,” Harry tells him as he seals their lips together. 

Louis ends up staying for an hour. 

______________

“Wha’ you do las’ nigh’?” Niall asks Louis the next day while Louis is typing up an email to one of their maintenance contractors, failing to manage to pronounce the end ‘T’s due to the amount of oily burger currently in his mouth. 

“Nothing,” Louis says, trying his best to ignore the sounds coming from him. 

Niall chews some more, before speaking out the side of his mouth. “Bullshit. You went out. Your car was gone.”

Louis sighs and clicks send on the finished email. Niall will find out sooner or later so he might as well tell him. “I went on a date with Harry.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny. What did you actually do?” He takes another massive bite of his lunch, leaving a myriad of sauce and grease on his chin and corners of his mouth. 

“Really. I took him ice skating. And Jesus Christ Niall, ever heard of a fucking napkin? Or chewing?” Louis grabs a roll of blue roll from the corner of the desk and rips off a few squares, handing it to Niall and circling his index finger in the air at the mess on his face and down his front, in case he wasn’t aware of where he should be focusing his clean up efforts.

“I thought I told you to leave him alone?” Niall takes the pieces from Louis and dutifully begins dabbing at himself while simultaneously picking at something in his teeth.

“You aren’t my dad, or Harry’s. I don’t see why you’re so against us getting together.”

Niall huffs. “Sa ya saggin em sin then?”

“What?” 

He takes his fingers out of his mouth. “So you’re shagging him soon then?” He repeats. 

“I’ll have you know that I actually like the guy and I would appreciate if you didn’t always assume that I’m only interested in someone for sex.” Niall eyes him suspiciously. “What?”

“You don’t date. You sleep with people. You’re always saying you’re too busy to date.”

Louis shrugs his shoulders. “Well things change.”

“So you properly like Harry then, for real?” Niall throws the last bit of his burger in his mouth and wipes his fingers on the left over blue roll before dropping the dirty remains on the desk beside him. 

Louis sits back in his chair and clasping his hands together, resting them on his abdomen. “Yeah I do. I know I don’t know him all that well yet but he’s smart and funny and so kind and generous. Did you know that all the stuff he bakes for the staff is out of his own time and money? How nice is that? And he’s planning to do all this charity work and he really takes pride in his job. All he wants if for people to be happy and be nice to each other. It’s so refreshing in this day and age, especially when we’re surrounded by people that just want you to run around after them and serve them and treat you like shit for it.”

“I told you he was a good one,” Niall says smugly. 

Louis goes to open the bottom drawer of his desk and pulls out a couple of purchase order forms he needs to fill in. “You did. He’s lovely. Our date last night was really good.”

“What about the whole him believing in Santa thing?”

Louis smiles at the memory of his conversations about it with Harry. “I think it’s cute.”

Niall glowers at him. “Cute? You don’t think it’s weird?”

“Well maybe a bit, but it kinda adds to his charm.”

Niall shakes his head. “Just... just please don’t fuck him over? He’s a good lad and I’d hate to see him get burned here.”

Louis pats Niall’s knee. “That’s very admirable, you looking after your friend Nialler, but I swear I’m not going to mess him about.” 

He wags his finger in Louis’ face with what he probably thinks is a tough expression. “OK, I’m going to hold you to that.”

Louis smirks. “And I’m not giving you any details, but I can assurance you, Harry is definitely not as innocent as you make out.” It’s true. After the events of the last few days it’s clear that Harry isn’t the wallflower that Niall or initial impressions suggested, Santa believing aside. On reflection, Louis is now of the firm opinion that Harry is just as cheeky as the next guy, but is simply hit with bouts of self doubt, which manifests itself into the hesitant, somewhat bumbling behaviour he sometimes depicts. If Louis needs to spend his time reassuring the boy of his worth and significance, then Louis will happily accommodate. Someone like Harry deserves reminders of just how treasurable they truly are.

Niall puts his head in his hands and groans, telling Louis he absolutely does not want any details, but appreciates that Louis is managing to keep his mouth shut for once about his love life. They talk for a few more minutes, mainly about a couple of new spirits that Niall wants to order for the bar when there is a knock on the door, Louis calling out to tell the visitor to come in.

“Hi Lou- Oh! Niall! Hi!” Harry says taken aback as he makes to walk in, pausing with one foot in the room and one foot out of it. 

Niall struggles to suppress a laugh at Louis’ side, but Louis ignores him to ask, “you OK Harry?”

“Yeah I.. um... only came in to… um… ask about… um… a pen! I came in ask if I could borrow a pen!” He grins.

Niall openly cackles this time. “Sure you did Styles. No pens on reception?”

Harry’s cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink and he fiddles with the cuffs of his shirt. “Um… well… like Louis has different pens. Pens I really like writing with.”

“Why do I get the sense you aren’t talking about stationary?” Niall smiles slyly.

“Niall, don’t you have to stock to count?” Louis asks him, pinching at his leg where it’s hidden behind the desk from Harry’s view.

Niall yelps and glares down at Louis. “Yeah but-“

“I think you should go do that,” he tells him through gritted teeth. “Right. Now.”

“Urgh, fine,” Niall huffs, before rising of the desk and snatching his empty plate that Louis is obnoxiously holding up to him and walking toward the door. “Catch you both later.”

“Bye Niall,” Harry says quietly with a small wave of his hand and his teeth in his lip, moving to the side to let Niall passed him. He’s so bloody pretty Louis wants to kiss him until he’s breathless. 

“So you like writing with my pens then?” Louis asks with a lewd grin.

“I’m so sorry Louis, I didn’t think he would be here and I panicked. I only came to say hi before my shift started.”

“Come ‘ere,” Louis says pushing against the desk so the chair wheels back and pats on his thighs. Harry trots over and sits sideways on Louis’ lap, leaning down to give Louis a chaste kiss.

“Good afternoon,” Harry says, wrapping his arms around Louis’ neck.

Louis laughs. “Good afternoon to you too Dimples.” He tucks a loose strand of hair behind Harry’s ear. “You sleep OK?”

“Yes thank you. Is it bad that I woke up thinking about you?” he says cutely. “Thank you so much for yesterday, I really enjoyed it, the date and you know, everything afterwards.”

“Me too.” Louis puckers his lips to encourage Harry to lean down for another kiss. “Can I take you out again? We’re both free tomorrow night? There’s a nice French restaurant close by we could go to.” Louis caresses Harry’s thigh affectionately. 

“Oh Louis I’d love that. But I’m buying this time.” 

Louis shakes his head. “Absolutely not. You need to save your money for travelling. My treat.”

“Well maybe I can think of some other way to make it up to you then?” he mutters as he curves his head to nibble at Louis’ earlobe. “Particular parts of you,” he finishes lowly right into Louis’ ear. 

Dear God. “Oh um... that would... um...” Why does Harry turn him into a blundering idiot at times?

“I was talking about your stomach. I can make you some chocolate brownies like I promised?” Harry says, a look of steely virtue on his face when sits back. 

“Yes, of course... brownies. I totally got that. Yeah,” Louis lies, feeling his cheeks burn.

Harry giggles and noses at his cheek. “Sure you did Louis. I mean I was also thinking of getting my mouth on your candy cane again but I’m sure you’d prefer brownies eh?” 

“Such a minx,” Louis growls. “Fuck it, we should both call in sick and go now.” His hand skims further up Harry’s body and squeezes at the doughy love handle he finds.

Harry slaps at Louis’ shoulder. “You can’t say things like that like! You’re meant to be setting a good example as the boss!”

Louis rolls his eyes in jest. “It’s not my fault some gorgeous boy has come in to lead me astray is it?” 

“I’m hardly gorgeous.” Louis opens his mouth to object to such utter nonsense but Harry puts a hand over it before continuing himself. “And I don’t want you getting in trouble because of me. Also don’t think Santa would like it. He’d definitely put you on the naughty list, wouldn’t he?”

Louis captures the hand to pull it away so he can speak, pressing a kiss to the back of it and intertwining their fingers. “You’ve got me there. Guess we’ll just have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Looking forward to it.” Harry looks at his watch. “I’ve got ten minutes until my shift starts. Can you think of anything I could do to pass the time before then?” He runs his thumb over Louis’ bottom lip. 

“Oh I’m sure I can think of something,” Louis murmurs, cupping Harry’s face and pulling him in for a snog.

_____________

Their date at the French restaurant goes exceptionally well, as does their date a few days later having lunch at a quaint coffee shop in town. They go for walks holding hands in the grounds before shifts when it’s dry enough, wrapped up against the cold and they have a couple of late night swimming sessions in the hotel pool to unwind after gruelling days, and the more Louis spends time with Harry, the more he is starting to really, really like him, like maybe ask him to be his boyfriend like him, but he doesn’t want to rush things. It’s only been three weeks since their first date after all, even though it seems like longer because they see each other so much at work and around the Barracks, and they haven’t exactly talked about anything further ahead than the what’s happening over the next few days. They haven’t even had sex yet, only continuing to discover each other in a similar manner to their first date, and Louis doesn’t want to scare Harry off by coming on too strong, even if Harry seems like he feels the same way. They also haven’t officially told anyone that they are seeing each other, apart from Niall, but Louis reckons everyone can tell. 

Louis walks into the kitchen one early afternoon to find Harry and Zayn in the kitchen, Harry decorating a shiny chocolate cake on the kitchen worktop with what Louis suspects are edible flowers as Zayn looks on.

“And what do we have here?”

“Louis!” Harry replies in delight. “Come look! Zayn helped me make a mirror glaze cake. They are pretty hard and I’ve tried before and it’s never come out right.” 

Louis wanders over to where they are standing and looks down. “I do love chocolate cake.”

“It’s not a chocolate cake. It’s an orange-flavoured génoise sponge with a chocolate mirror ganache,” Harry informs him, like Louis would know the difference. He heard the word chocolate, that’s where his understanding begins and ends. 

“I’m gonna have to steal him for the kitchen mate, the guy is a natural at this stuff,” Zayn says. Zayn had finally thawed to Harry when he realised that Harry was too nice to dislike and also meant he had someone that was genuinely interested in his job and he could impart his wisdom onto. Now, it seems, they had progressed to actually baking together. 

“You hear that Louis? I’m a natural,” Harry echoes with a blush, turning to wrap his arms around Louis waist and kiss him, Louis melting into it willingly. 

Zayn coughs. “So you guys are an actual thing then?”

Harry pulls back and pushes Louis away, realising what he’s done, wiping his hands down his jeans, leaving smears of chocolate. “Oh shit, um… we’re uh… it’s um…”

“Yes,” Louis says, pulling him back in, chuckling at Harry’s unfounded embarrassment. “We’re an actual thing.” He might be answering Zayn but he doesn’t take his eyes of Harry.

“Sorry, I didn’t know if it was meant to be a secret,” Harry whispers even though Zayn is standing right beside him, pouting at Louis as he wraps his arms around Louis’ neck.

Louis leaves a soft kiss on his mouth before running a palm up and down his back. “Now why would I want to keep you a secret? You look far more gorgeous and enticing than that cake,” he tells Harry, flicking his head towards the baked creation. 

“You know I’m right here yeah? I can see and hear everything you’re doing?” Zayn groans from the side while Harry grins and kisses Louis again. 

“Sorry Zayn,” Harry says over his shoulder, despite not sounding sorry at all, and pulls away again but moves to put a hand on Louis’ hip to keep him close. “So where have you been all morning? Thought I would have seen you?”

Louis strokes a hand up Harry’s arm. “Oh, well I promised I’d get you a Christmas tree to decorate so had to go and pick it up.”

“Oh my God really?!” Harry yelps and claps his hands. “Can we decorate it now? Can we?”

Louis laughs. “That was the plan yes.”

Harry turns away and frantically starts collecting all the used dishes and left over ingredients off the work top and trying to sort them away. “OK. OK. Um… Zayn, you’ll help too right? And Niall finishes soon so he can help… and I need to go get my Christmas CD. But I uh… I need to do these dishes first… and I don’t have time to make brownies Louis, I have some cupcakes instead? Oh shit… “ He says as he spills flour on the work top. 

“OK, calm down.” Louis places a hand on Harry’s arm to still him. “You go and get whatever it is you need from upstairs, and Zayn and I will clean down here and then we can all go and get the decorations from storage and the tree from the car. OK?”

Harry blows out air, his cheeks puffing. “OK. Thank you. You’re the best.” He pecks Louis cheek and runs off, Louis staring after him and sighing. 

“You are _so_ whipped,” Zayn says after a moment.

“Yeah,” Louis replies, picking up a cloth to wipe the spilt flour, “I really am.”

_________

Just under two hours later, the tree is up in the corner of the TV room, and the Christmas CD is playing in the background, all of the guys randomly humming and singing along to various festive songs. Harry and Niall are busy draping the fairy lights around it while Louis and Zayn sort through the decorations that were badly packed into the boxes and left in the bowels of the hotel years ago. There is far too much, but Harry had been adamant that they would find space for it all, Niall suggesting that Harry might end up needing to decorate his own room and Louis’ too to use them all up but that idea was met with even more excitement. Louis was pretty sure he was going to be finding excess glitter on his belongings for months. 

“Louis,” Harry calls out from where he is crouched in front of the tree, untangling a section of the string of lights to fit them better along the bottom branches. Louis acknowledges him to continue. “If you don’t normally put up a Christmas tree and you don’t have a chimney in the Barracks, how does Santa leave you presents?”

“Uh…” Louis looks at Niall, who raises his eyebrows and smiles while trying to hold a cupcake and a branch up at the same time as he position the lights further up the tree from Harry, and then at Zayn who just looks confused. What the hell is he meant to say to that? Unfortunately Zayn opens him mouth first.

“Harry, you know Santa isn’t real-“

“…REALLY able to get down a chimney, that’s just a rumour, he comes in the door like everyone else,” rushes to tell Harry loudly, cutting Zayn off. Niall covers his mouth to stifle a laugh. Louis silently motions slicing his neck with one hand to tell him and Zayn to shut up but when Zayn goes to say something else he punches him hard on the arm, Zayn grabbing it in pain and mouthing at him to fuck off. Thank God Harry has his back to everyone. Louis clears his throat. “And yeah… Santa doesn’t seem to mind if there isn’t a tree, we still all get our presents. He usually leaves them in the kitchen.” Niall shakes his head in dismay at Louis’ unbelievably shit lie, and take a bite of the cake in his hand. 

“The kitchen?” Harry says, standing up and turning to face him. 

Fuck. What did he say the kitchen? “Did I say the kitchen?” he fakes laughs, “I meant the dining room, uh… the dining table… over by the dining table and the bookshelves and that.” Harry turns to look at Niall with a confused expression, Niall simply shrugging his shoulders at him. 

Harry turns back to Louis. “Oh OK. Well at least he’ll have a proper place to put the presents now, won’t he?” He says, a hesitant look on his face.

“Sure babe, he’ll be really grateful, being such a busy man and all,” Louis smiles back at him. 

Harry’s whole face softens into an easy lopsided grin. “I’m going to go and make us all some coffee.”

“Sounds perfect.” Louis watches as Harry strolls out the room into the kitchen.

“What. The fuck. Was that all about?” Zayn says when Harry is out of earshot. 

“Well.. you see…” Louis begins, not sure how to tell Zayn because he gets it’s a bit odd.

Niall beats him to it. “Our boy Harry still believes in Santa Claus and Louis is so desperate to shag him that he’s going along with it to keep him happy.”

Zayn’s eyes widen and his head whips back and forth between the two men. “For real?”

“Technically, yes,” Louis tells him, “he believes in Santa, but I’m not _not_ telling him because I want to shag him.” Niall raises his eyebrows. “OK, of course I want to shag him, but I’m not telling him because I couldn’t do it to him. You’ve seen how excited he gets about stuff. I would be like hurting a Care Bear.”

“Mate, come on. Someone needs to tell him,” Zayn says. They both look at Niall. 

“Don’t look at me.”

“Well you’ve know him the longest, it would be better coming from you surely?” Louis reasons.

Niall shakes his head. “Nope, he’s my mate and I’m not ruining it for him. If you think he needs to know, you be the one to break it to him.”

Louis releases a frustrated huff and puts his hands on his hips. “I can’t. He’d be so upset.”

“Well get Zayn to do it,” Niall suggests, nodding in the man’s direction.

“Nah dude,” he waves a hand, “I don’t know him all that well but that does seem pretty shit. Leave me out of it.”

“Fine. If none of us are willing to do it then we’ll just have to keep playing along then. It’s only for a few more weeks. Agreed?” He looks at them with his scariest ‘boss man’ scowl.

“Uh.. whatever you say bud,” Zayn nods.

Niall wipes the remains of buttercream icing off his mouth from the cupcake he’s just shoved in his mouth, his fourth of the evening so far. “My lips are sealed.”

________________ 

Everyone ended up loving the decorations in the Barracks, and by the time they were half way through finishing, there were fifteen staff members helping out in various capacities; hanging tree decorations, running tinsel along the shelving and picture frames, cutting snowflakes out of white paper for the windows and creating garlands out of rings of coloured card, to name a few. Everyone was singing the Christmas songs loudly and feasting on chocolate coins and cupcakes while they moved around. It was brilliant fun for all involved.

The best bit about the whole thing for Louis was Harry though. Harry was in his element, running around co-ordinating everyone gleefully, and helping people out when they struggled with a decoration, keeping them fed and watered and spirits high with a massive grin that never dropped from his face the entire time. Louis was forced to follow him into the kitchen at one point and pin him up against the worktop to snog him fiercely because he was simply that enamoured by him and his heartwarming sensibility for all things colourful and happy. He couldn’t get enough of him.

Which is why, when they finally sat down to have some dinner that Louis cooked for them both and Niall later on that night, he asks Harry if he wants to help Louis take his youngest siblings to see Santa that coming weekend.

“You’re going to the North Pole?” Harry asks puzzled. Niall snorts out a laugh, for which Louis kicks him swiftly under the table. 

“No, not quite. I’m taking them to a place in Sheffield, the Tropical Butterfly House. It’s like an interactive experience with animals and stuff and they ride a sleigh and that, as well as meeting Santa.”

Harry frowns. “You think Santa Claus is doing meet and greets at an animal sanctuary in South Yorkshire?” Well when Harry puts it like that it sounds ludicrous. Niall has to get up and walk away because he is choking so hard trying not laugh, mumbling something about getting some water. 

Louis sends daggers into the back of Niall’s head before turning back to Harry. “Well I always thought it was just one of his elves doing it for him, cause he’s so busy getting all the presents ready, so like, he sends a representative because he doesn’t want the kids to be disappointed?”

Harry nods in understanding. “Yeah, that’s what I always thought too. And you want me to come?” 

“Well, yeah, I know how much you love Christmas. Think it would be nice.”

“So like, I’d be meeting your family…” He trails off. Fuck. Louis literally hadn’t thought about it like that. He was only thinking about how it would make Harry happy.

“Uh yeah, I guess. Unless it’s too weird… Sorry I um…”

“Louis?” Harry places a hand on Louis’, effectively shutting him up. “I would love to go see Santa with you.”

_____________

That Sunday, Harry and Louis set off early to drive the forty-five minutes to Doncaster to collect Louis’ twin brother and sister. He had already called ahead to his mum Jay to warn her that he was bringing Harry, who he described as ‘a close friend’, and to not read too much into it. He did it mainly to not put any extra pressure on Harry but also wasn’t keen on labelling them when they hadn’t spoken to each other about it yet. He didn’t know why he bothered though, since even though he had never brought home a guy before, his mum could clearly read between the lines and as soon as Jay opened the door she was fussing round Harry like he was the Queen, completely ignoring her own son despite not having seen him in over two months. She fixed Harry some tea and offered him the posh biscuits from the hidden tin she keeps away from the kids, which was essentially the biggest seal of approval Louis’ mum can give someone, as she gently bestrewed him with questions about his life. Harry handled it exactly the way Louis would have expected him to; with an easy smile, an enthusiastic temperament and a cerise blush.

When Jay finally stopped for a breath long enough for them to get the twins wrapped up warmly in their winter best, they had piled into Louis’ car and headed on down to the animal sanctuary. Doris and Ernest, just like Jay, and Louis, and everyone else in fact, took an instant liking to Harry, fighting over who got to hold his hand as they walked or perch in his lap while they sat and listened to the staff presenters talk about a variety of birds and animals throughout the morning and early afternoon. Harry ended up having to balance the two four year olds with one on each knee, Louis left to look on from the sidelines. In between the talks they wandered around, fed and petted some of the creatures, the kids squealing with delight at every opportunity, and Harry beaming at Louis at the same time. Louis may or may not have taken several photos of the three of them and a couple of sneaky ones of Harry on his own when he wasn’t paying attention, engrossed in the kids and the critters.

When it came to actually meeting Father Christmas, they rode on a big sleigh (actually a tractor in disguise) up to Santa’s grotto. As they queued, Harry had crouched down to the twins’ eye level, and asked them if they knew what they were going to ask Santa for. When they replied that they did, Harry explained that they needed to remember to say please and thank you otherwise they might not get what they wanted. They nodding dutifully and promised they would. He also told them when Doris had asked where the reindeer were that they were at home eating and resting up because it takes a lot of carrots and good sleep to travel all over the world to all the different houses with everyone’s presents. They looked up at him in awe, probably because he was the most knowledgable, amazing, shiny person they had ever come across. Louis could relate. 

When they finally sat on the jolly old man’s knee, Louis took more pictures, and Harry has whispered in his ear asking if Santa knew what Louis wanted for Christmas yet. Louis refrained from replying what he really thought, that all he wanted was for Harry to officially become his boyfriend, because it wasn’t exactly the time and place for it, so he simply smiled and whispered back that Santa knows everything anyways, that this charade was only to keep the young ones happy and cheekily added that he had a feeling that he’d get what he wanted for being such a good boy to Harry just last night in the privacy of Louis’ room, leaving a chaste kiss on Harry’s mouth. Harry seemed to think that was an acceptable answer if the squeeze of Louis’ arse was anything to go by.

By the time the kids were dropped off at home, they were exhausted and getting irritable, so Louis declined his mother’s invitation to join them for dinner, thinking it best to leave her to feed and bathe them before bed alone. She made sure Harry agreed to come and visit them all as soon as he could and gave him a long cuddle goodbye, thanking him for looking after her babies so well. Louis had a sneaking suspicion she didn’t just mean the twins in the sentiment. Louis got a swift kiss on the cheek and told to call. Typical. 

They had both showered and changed when they got back to the Barracks, keen to get the zoo animal smell and the long day off of them, before Louis had cooked them steak and chips. Now they were attempting to watch a movie on the sofa, but they weren’t paying much attention, given the fact that they were concentrating on snogging each others face off and not on the television screen.

“You have bedrooms you know, you don’t have to subject everyone to this.”

“Jealously is an ugly disease Nialler,” Louis says, after sitting up on Harry’s lap from where he had been lying along Harry’s body. He turns to see the Irishman biting into a mince pie as he sits down on a nearby armchair. 

Niall rolls his eyes. “What’ve I got to be jealous of? You’re both men?” 

“Hey, don’t knock it til you’ve tried it,” Harry quips from beneath Louis. 

“Whatever,” Niall grumbles, taking another mouthful. 

Louis leans forward again and kisses Harry before murmuring, “He’s just annoyed because he hasn’t had a girl in months. You wanna take this upstairs Dimples?”

“I heard that,” Niall shouts. 

“Give a fuck,” Louis retorts over his shoulder. 

Harry rubs up and down Louis’ sides to get his attention back. “Yeah, lets go upstairs.”

The quickly clamber up from the sofa and after saying goodnight to Niall, they walk to climb the stairs, Harry asking who’s room Louis wants to go to. 

“Um… well I was thinking mine, and like… maybe you could stay the whole night?”

Harry stops in his tracks on the landing, causing Louis to halt too since they are holding hands. It had become an unsaid rule since they started up that any night they fooled around in one of their rooms, they would still sleep alone. It worked well because it had made their dating while living and working together a little less intense. Or at least that’s what Louis thought anyway.

“So that means you want to…” He leaves what Louis presumes is the ‘have sex with me’ bit unsaid. 

Louis nods shyly. He’s never felt like this about sleeping with someone for the first time. Yeah, they have seen each other naked and got each other off plenty by now, but it still feels like a big step, an important step. He’s excited and nervous and he hopes to God Harry feels the same way. Even if he didn’t, it wouldn’t matter, he’d wait until Harry was ready too. 

“Yeah, I’d really like that,” Harry says with a dopey smile, equally as bashful as Louis, and kisses him before leading him up the rest of the stairs. 

________

There isn’t much chat once they are in Louis’ room, but they end up on the bed in just their briefs, Louis on top of Harry as they kiss and hands move demurely over each other, like neither one wants to be the first to take it further, happy to take the time enjoying the moment. After a while, as Louis is kissing along Harry’s collarbone, Harry speaks up.

“I really want you, but um, I don’t know how you want me?”

Louis lifts his head. “What d'you mean?

“Well, like um… I want to fuck you, so much, but uh… I didn’t know if you would prefer to do the fucking… cause well, like, I’ve never done that… but we can if you want to… I’ve just never done it but uh…”

Louis kisses him quiet, then rears back again. “I’d prefer you to fuck me too.”

“Yeah? You aren’t just saying that are you? You want that too?”

Louis sucks on Harry bottom lip and then kisses the tip of his nose. “Harry, I’ve wanted you to fuck me since the second I laid eyes on you. We can try it the other way another time when you’re ready to.”

Harry blinks slowly. “Good. So um… can we do it now, cause like, I’ve wanted to fuck you since the second I Iaid eyes on you too?” Louis laughs and nods, reaching over to his bedside table to grab the lube and a condom from the drawer. 

Harry opens Louis up in his lap, one arm wrapped securely around the bottom of Louis’ back and the other reaching round to his entrance. It’s not the easiest position for it but Louis can tell Harry enjoys the closeness, the intimacy of it, as well as needing the gentle guidance from Louis as to what feels good and when he is ready for another finger between kisses. When he’s deemed himself good to go, Louis encourages Harry to lie down on his back and rolls the unwrapped rubber down Harry’s hot, thrumming length and slicks him up with lube.

Comfortably straddling Harry’s hips, Louis takes him is his hand and aligns his cock up with his hole, before he slowly sinks down with a sigh. He take his time, letting Harry’s impressive girth stretch his muscles until he bottoms out completely and comes to a stop fully seated in Harry’s lap. “Shit, you feel amazing,” tumbles from Louis’ mouth, a strong emission of pre-come pulled from the tip of his own dick. Harry closes his eyes and nods in agreement but stays silent all but an imperceptible gurn from his throat. Louis fixes his hands on Harry’s chest to steady himself and thumbs at one of his nipples. “Are you OK?”

Harry’s hand shifts to rest on Louis’, effectively stilling it’s movement. “Yup. You can go,” it comes out a little clipped. “If you want to,” he adds hurriedly. Louis takes the lead, and when he is hugging Harry’s thickness from within comfortably, he circles his hips to lift himself up and drop back down, watching Harry’s face clench and bite down on his lip. Louis repeats the move again, and then a third time, enjoying the sensation of being filled by Harry immensely, but he’s preoccupied by watching Harry keep his eyes shut and move his hands to fist the bed sheets by his side. Louis does it twice more, Harry now looking like he might draw blood from his own mouth and so he stops.

“Harry, babe, can you look at me?” He encourages softly. Harry opens one eye then the other, visibly wincing like he might be about to get in trouble. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Harry shakes his head.

“Well, as much as I’m enjoying this, you look like you’re in pain or something. Do you not want to do this?”

Harry’s face unfurls from the taut grimace. “God no, of course I want to do this, it’s just…”

“It’s just what?”

Harry digs the heels of his palms into dips of his eye sockets. “M'sorry, this is so embarrassing,” he mumbles quietly. 

“What is?”

His speech is strained and choppy. “Um… like I’ve had sex, but not a whole lot and… God, you are so hot and you feel so fucking good Louis, I feel like I’m gonna come straight away. I really like you and I don’t want to ruin this for you, in case you think I’m awful and don’t want to do it again.”

“Hey, hey, look at me,” Louis says as he tugs at Harry’s wrists and brings them to press into his own chest, but Harry’s eyelids are still tightly clenched. “Babe, come on.” Harry swallows audibly and opens them, finally looking up at him. “You are not going to ruin anything for me. I want you. I want to be here with you and I think you are so gorgeous, but if you want to slow things down or stop completely, that’s OK, it’s not going to stop me liking you. If you want to keep going, then that’s great too. If you come quickly, then you do, it doesn’t matter, because I want you to enjoy yourself as much as I do. That’s the whole point of sex right, that we both enjoy ourselves yeah? And there are plenty of ways for me to come, whether it’s on your dick or not. Whatever happens, whatever you decide, I’m going to still really like you.”

“I want to be good for you.” Harry face is so open and earnest it makes Louis’ stomach flip. 

“You are Harry, you’re so good for me babe.” He reaches to glide his fingers up Harry’s neck and grazes his jaw. “You wanna keep going?”

He smiles shyly and nods. “Yes please.”

“You are so cute.” Louis leans down and places a gentle kiss on Harry’s mouth before sitting back up. 

“Don’t call me cute when we are having sex,” Harry pouts. Ironically, the pouting infinitely increases his cuteness level. Louis is compelled to kiss him again. 

“Oh no?” Louis raises an eyebrow as he settles on top of him once more. “But you are cute. And also fit as fuck.” He rolls his hips again, drawing a mewl from Harry. “Sexiest guy I’ve ever seen. Turn me on so much babe.”

Harry huffs and his hands move round to Louis hips and he digs the pads of his fingers in, this time encouraging Louis to roll again in tight rotations, meeting each one with a short, sharp thrust of his own pelvis. It knocks the air out of Louis’ lungs when he starts building up a rhythm. “You like that? That feel cute?”

“The cutest,” Louis pants, fingers struggling for purchase against the sweat accumulating on Harry’s chest. 

Harry groans. “Fuck… I think this is… this is too much Louis. Can I go on top?"

Louis slows down to stop. “Course babe, whatever makes you comfortable.” He pulls off and they hurry to rearrange themselves with Louis on his back, bumping awkwardly into each other as they do it, Harry sitting on his knees, thighs spread wide and he pulls Louis’ arse flush against him so he can fit himself slowly back into Louis’ heat. Harry pauses briefly to grab Louis’ ankles, and hook Louis’ legs over his thighs, before he starts snapping his hips into Louis firmly. It feels really good, but it’s not quite enough for Louis to come from, and Harry must sense it. 

“This is shit isn’t it?” Harry says quietly after a minute or two, slowing down to an almost stop. 

Louis frowns. “It’s great, why are you stopping?”

“Because I can tell you think it’s shit.” He looks as if he’s about to burst into tears. 

Louis reaches for his arm and pulls him down so they are face to face. “This is the best sex I have ever had,” he tells him while he lightly runs his hands up Harry’s firm chest and wraps them around his neck, Harry answering with a scoff and a head shake, looking anywhere but Louis’ face. “No really, because I’m having it with someone I care about a lot. Everything else we’ve done together has been great so far, but it might take us a couple of tries to get properly acquainted with each other like this yeah?” He tenderly sponges kisses to Harry’s jaw, cheek and lips. 

Harry nods and mouths ‘OK’ and begins finding his rhythm again, and Louis encourages him to keep it slow and steady, Louis licking into his supple, warm mouth. “Feel incredible darling,” Louis mumbles against Harry's lips as he reaches down with one hand and begins to fist his own throbbing cock. “You’re so fucking hot.”

“Wanna be good for you…” Harry mutters. “Fuck you right… Just how you want it…” He starts dicking in faster, Louis’ resulting moans bouncing of the walls around them and adding to the cacophony of sound; slapping skin, squeaking bed springs, headboard thundering against the wall. Harry mouths at Louis’ neck while tightening his hold on Louis’ waist.

“Yes, shit… so good.. perfect for me.” Harry’s head rears back to face each other at Louis’ words, his eyes closing and a canine indenting his bottom lip. It’s not like before, his face isn’t agonised or tortured, it’s blissful, despite his body working hard to try and bring them both to their ends. His cheeks are flushed with exertion, beads of sweat running down his temple and chest as his curls stick to his face. He looks divine.

Louis’ free hand moves from Harry’s neck to capture Harry’s pert bum and squeeze, making Harry’s whole body jerk in shock. Louis can feel the clenching muscles under his finger tips with every lunge Harry makes, but Harry’s movements begin to slow. “Don’t. Don’t fucking stop. I’m so close. You’re gonna make me come Harry.” Louis rasps, spanking at Harry’s arse, his stomach knotting tightly with his impending liberation.

“Oh God. Can’t hold on much longer,” Harry breaths back into Louis’ mouth and presses their foreheads together, pining Louis to the pillow, trying his best to speed again. One of Harry’s hands snakes in between their bodies and joins Louis’ wrapped around his leaking cock and starts palming him quickly. Harry does come, hard, draining himself into the condom while he strokes and fucks Louis through the euphoria, swallowing his whimpers. Louis isn’t completely there yet but he keeps his hand working himself as Harry stays tucked up inside him and kisses him wetly. Soon he’s coming in surges up between their torsos, before Harry gives up completely and he rests all his weight on Louis. 

As they slow get their breaths back, Louis wraps himself round Harry’s slumped, fatigued body completely and moves to nestle his face into Harry’s neck. “That was amazing,” Louis tells Harry honestly against his skin. 

“It’ll be better next time, I promise.” Harry pinches his side playfully and Louis laughs, but doesn’t move to fight him off, choosing instead to begin working to suck a blemish into Harry’s skin at the base of his throat. “That tickles,” Harry giggles. 

“Mmmm. Couldn’t help myself.” He laps at the spot he’s just marked then kisses it, pleased he’ll be able to see his brand on Harry for days to come. “You’re so delectable babe.”

Harry squirms and pulls his head back to look at Louis in the eye. “You’re making me sound like a cupcake or summat, Louis,” he pouts.

Louis strokes his bottom lip, where it’s bitten red and glossy. “You are, the most delicious cupcake. And weren’t you one that was calling my dick a candy cane a while ago?”

Harry giggles again. “Yeah, you’ve got me there. You’re the sweetest treat after all.” He gives Louis’ mouth a quick peck. “And speaking of treats…” He withdraws from Louis’ core with caution and wriggles to scoot down the bed, settling himself again with his hands on the meat of Louis’ waist and starts licking at Louis’ stomach and chest, purging him of his own come. 

“Fucking hell,” Louis’ cock twitches against his thigh, “where did you even come from?”

“Only shagged you so I could use your fancy shower,” Harry jokes between glides of his tongue.

“Oi, cheeky!” Louis knees him as they both laugh.

Harry pauses and rests his chin on Louis’ abdomen, looking up to ceiling like he’s actually thinking about a real answer. “Maybe I’m your early Christmas present. I know you’re definitely mine.” 

“Talk about ‘O come all ye faithful’,” Louis retorts, thankful the blush in his face will be put down to exertion rather than embarrassment. “Santa wouldn’t allow for early Christmas presents though would he?”

Harry hums in consideration, Louis can feel it vibrating through his skin where Harry is resting. “I guess not. Maybe you’re a very late Easter present?”

“A gift from the Easter bunny?”

Harry’s face scrunches. “On second thought, that would be silly. Imagine a giant bunny walking around giving out chocolate eggs and disgustingly beautiful men.”

“Yes,” Louis grins, “that would be silly.” 

“Now, good boys clean up after themselves, don’t though Louis? Need to stay on that list,” he says, although it must be rhetorical because he doesn’t wait for him to respond before he resumes licking up Louis’ climax.

Louis runs his hand through Harry’s sweaty hair for a few moments. “I don’t know why you’re bothering darling. Gimme five minutes and we’re gonna get messy again.”

“Yeah? You wanna go again?” Harry mumbles against the bottom of Louis’ pec where he is now working on create his own mark.

“Yup,” Louis responds simply

“Well you’re the boss,” Harry says, with zero fight in his voice.

“That I am babe,” Louis agrees, pulling Harry up his body by his biceps so he can snog him, “that I am.”

___________

The final run up to Christmas goes by in a blur. The hotel is full almost every day, as well as the restaurant and the private event rooms booked out for festive parties and celebrations. Louis ends up working way more than he ever has, barely getting a day off and finishing every shift by practically crawling into his bed, every muscle screaming at him to stop already. The saving grace though, the thing that keeps him going through it all, is that Harry is usually in his bed waiting for him, ready to dole out cuddles and kisses and comfort, along with the occasional neck or back massage when Louis can hold his eyes open long enough to accept it. Harry has basically moved in to Louis’ room and Louis couldn’t be happier. 

They haven’t managed any more proper dates, but Harry had stressed that he understood why and doesn’t expect anything anyways, that he’s happy being in Louis’ company whatever they do. Louis makes sure to still cook for him when he can, even if it’s something for him to heat up later on, and he’s decided that he wants to get Harry a gift, but can’t decide what.

“I need to think of a present for Harry,” Louis says to Liam and Hannah, one of the restaurant supervisors, one morning while they are chilling in the T.V room before Louis plans on heading down the hill. Harry started his shift an hour ago.

“A Christmas present?” Liam glances at him from where his eyes have been transfixed on the T.V. One of the singers that used to be in Girls Aloud is on Loose Women promoting her new single and Liam had refused to let Louis change the channel. 

“No, a summer solstice present,” Louis bites out sarcastically.

Liam turns to regard him fully. “Geez, I was only checking.”

“Sorry, m’tired,” he apologises. Liam is still looking at him with a frown. “What?”

“Nothing, just surprised that’s all. Never seen you like this over someone, it’s nice. I’m happy for you.”

Louis smiles. “Yeah, I know, I’m surprised too to be honest, but I can’t help it. Think he’s great. But seriously, I need to get him something. Any ideas?”

“Nah mate,” Liam shakes his head, “Only thing he’s mentioned to me is that he needs is a new armband for his iPod when we go running. Not exactly romantic eh?”

“It doesn’t have to be romantic, just personal I guess, but yeah, I draw the line at sports gear.” He turns to Hannah and raise his eyebrows.

“Depends on how much you’re wanting to spend?” She says. “You could get one of the those Red Letter Day things? You know, those experiences like a hot air balloon ride, or driving a sports car? Could choose something to do together when things have quietened down after New Year?”

“That’s not a bad shout actually, could be a nice for treat him after all he’s done for me and everyone else.”

Liam nods in agreement. “You know, I bet you could get some of the other staff members to chip in and get him a really amazing experience, as a thank you for all the baking and the helping out around the Barracks and that. Everyone loves him.”

Louis sits bolt upright and shoots his hand out to grip Liam’s forearm. “Liam. You’re an absolute genius. I know _exactly_ what I’m going to do for Harry.”

“What’s that then?”

“Just you wait Li,” Louis says, patting Liam’s arm and moving to pull his phone out and bring up the google search, “this is gonna be great.”

____________

“So I got you a present,” Harry informs Louis in the early evening of the twenty fourth of December. 

They aren’t going to see each other much on Christmas Day as Harry is working on reception through the night and an hour before he gets off shift, Louis’ starts his and he’ll be on until late the following day. They had gone for a quick lunch in town as a treat, the first time either had been away from the hotel in over a fortnight, and rather excitable Harry had jabbered away about anything and everything Christmas related, citing it, for what was probably the hundredth time this month, as his favourite time of year. In fact, he was so full of bubbling energy that as soon as they had returned to Louis’ room in the Barracks, Louis had been put on all fours and fucked within an inch of his life. Turns out Christmas really was his favourite holiday, if the now darkening finger marks on Louis’ hips and the pleasant pain in his arse were an indication. 

Now they are lying in bed with only their pants on, legs intertwined, having not long finished watching A Miracle On 34th Street on Harry’s laptop, before Harry had announced the existence of said yuletide gift.

“You did?” Louis singsongs in reply, knowing what Harry is like. He would have been shocked if Harry hadn’t got him something considering how thoughtful the boy is. “Well luckily I got you one too then eh?”

Harry peels himself off of Louis’ to get up and wander over to his hold-all that now lives in Louis’ room, digging inside to the very bottom to retrieve a rectangular package, Louis grabbing the envelope he had hidden under his mattress while he watches Harry return to him. They both position themselves sitting up facing each other with their crossed legs touching. 

“Merry Christmas Louis,” Harry says as he hands the expertly wrapped gift, Louis thanking him and taking it from him with a kiss. He peels away the shiny red paper to reveal a beautiful silver photo frame, the picture inside of Louis and his brother and sister at the Tropical Butterly House, one that Harry had taken of the three of them. They are all grinning wide and look extremely happy despite the cold weather that day. “Thought it would be nice for your office, noticed you didn’t have a recent one of you and the twins in there.”

“I love it Harry. Thank you so much.” And he really does, it’s so perfect, just like Harry is. He turns to place it standing up on his beside table for now, and kisses Harry while mumbling another thank you against his lips. He then takes a deep breath and twists to pick up the envelope he has tucked behind his back. He’s bought some baking equipment that he knew Harry wanted through asking Zayn wrapped up and hidden away to place under the tree downstairs tonight as a ‘gift from Santa’ but this present he needed to give himself. He hands the white envelope with a bow over and watches while Harry opens it carefully and pulls out the sheet of paper, scanning the wording printed on it. 

“Louis,” he gasps, looking up at him with wide eyes, then back down, his irises flitting back and forth at speed while takes the information in, “you didn’t really do this?”

“Course I did,” Louis grins. Louis had set up a Go Fund Me page for Harry for his travelling and charity work, the paper filled with the details of the current total and how to log in for Harry to take over.

“But there’s over five hundred pounds registered.” Harry’s gawking at him like he’s the Messiah. 

Louis nods. “Got pretty much all the staff to donate, and even a couple of our regular customers who I told about your plans offered to help as well. M’sure there will be more, plus now you can tell all your own family and friends too.”

Harry wipes a tear from his eye and shakes his head. “Louis, I don’t know what to say, this is way too much. I don’t deserve this.”

He strokes Harry’s knee. “Of course you do Dimples. You make everyone so happy all the time, we couldn’t wait to contribute,” Louis explains. 

Harry looks at the paper again, and shrieks when he clocks what’s further down, his body jolting and he scrambles to sit up on his knees. “Louis! You donated two hundred pounds all by yourself! You can’t do that!”

“I can and I will. That’s what boyfriends do after all.”

Harry’s head shoots up from the page, the paper all but slammed into his lap. “Boyfriend?”

“Well, yeah,” Louis scratches at the back of his neck, his heart galloping in his chest so loud he thinks Harry must be able to hear it. “I’ve wanted to ask you for weeks but didn’t want to rush things, but… um… I want to be officially a couple, if that’s what you want too.”

Harry launches himself at Louis, pushing him onto his back and bombarding his face with kisses all over as he squeezes him tightly. “Course… I want… to be… your boyfriend…” he pecks out, before attaching his mouth to Louis’ for a bitey snog, Louis giggling throughout. After a couple of minutes, Harry rears his head back. “You’re still not giving me all that money though.”

“Harry, babe, I want you to go off and see and do amazing things in the world that’ll make yours and other people’s lives better. It will make my life better knowing I’ve been able to help in some way and when you are ready, however long it takes, you can come back to me here, and I’ll be waiting.” More tears are falling down Harry’s face, Louis working to wipe them away with a thumb under each eye. He knew Harry would be happy but not this happy. Louis can’t help but beam that he’s made that happen. “Could maybe even come and join you for a couple of weeks somewhere.” 

“I’d love that. Thank you so much Louis, this is the best Christmas ever.” They kiss again and it gets heated quickly, but Harry finishes it almost as soon as it’s started. “Don’t get me going again, I don’t have time before I need to get ready for my shift tonight.”

“Well your boyfriend is the boss you know,” Louis replies, reaching to grab his phone from the beside table. 

Harry laughs. “What’cha doing?”

Louis texts rapidly as he answers him. “Letting Imogen know that you’re running late and to keep Emily on for a bit longer.”

“That’s very naughty of you Louis, Santa will not be pleased,” Harry says, despite contradicting his statement by already trying to shimmy Louis’ boxers down his legs. 

“Well sucks to be him, because the only thing I wanted was you as my boyfriend and since I’ve been gifted that already, I can spend the last couple of hours being downright sinful can’t I?”

“Very true,” Harry smirks. “How do you want me then, boyfriend?” 

“Hands and knees darling,” Louis tells him, matching Harry’s expression and dropping a hand to pinch Harry’s bum. “You did a right number on me earlier and you’re away to get a taste of your own medicine.”

_________________

Once Harry had finally got his brain functioning enough to get showered and dressed for work, Louis had walked him down to the hotel, taking the opportunity to double check a few emails and that the restaurant and kitchen were prepared for tonight’s service, before returning to the Barracks alone. He wishes he had been able to schedule the two of them to have the same shifts but some other staff had had commitments he couldn’t work round, so Louis busies himself cleaning up his room and then watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and waits for Harry to come back for his break. 

It’s about half eleven when Harry finally makes an appearance, still jubilant from the day’s events. “So are you ready for another Christmas treat Louis?” Harry says as he walks into the kitchen, Louis trailing behind. He’d had wanted to stay in bed but Harry had insisted. 

“Yes babe,” he replies, slightly petulantly, still pissed given that Harry had refused to kiss him until he had put on clothes and come downstairs. 

“OK, close your eyes and hold out your hands.” Louis does as instructed and listens intently as Harry moves around him, opening up a cupboard and rummaging around inside. A few seconds later, Louis has what feels suspiciously like a plate placed onto his palms. “OK, open.” Louis does, and when he looks down, his is, in fact, staring at a plate. Not just any plate, but a Santa plate, painted with the words ‘To Santa Claus’ along the top and ‘Lots of love from Louis and Harry’ along the bottom, complete with dotted outlines of where the Christmas treat, drink and carrot for Rudolph are to be placed. Oh Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the boy had lost his marbles. 

“Oh.” Is all Louis can come up with.

“Don’t you like it? I thought we could leave Santa’s treats together this year?”

Louis nods dumbly. “Oh yeah, what a great idea.” He should tell him. He really needs to tell him the truth but he can’t be the guy that asks someone to be their boyfriend then ruins the memory of their sweet old Grandma and their childlike innocence all in one day. On the day before Christmas. He isn’t that cruel. He’s also going to invite Harry to his mother’s for lunch on Boxing Day, and ask him to spend New Year’s with him, so he might have to wait until mid January to spill the beans that he’s a bad, bad boyfriend for dragging this out. He just hopes to God Harry will appreciate that it came from a good, good place. “I always just use a regular plate. This is really cute.”

“Yeah? I’m glad you liked it. Worked really hard on it for you.” Louis swallows his pride and looks up at Harry’s face, seeing nothing but radiant zeal staring back at him. He pulls him in for a kiss, careful to keep the plate in his tight grasp to stop it falling when sandwich in between them.

“I baked some cookies too, especially for him to put out. Should probably do it now, don’t have long til I need to be back.”

“Great,” Louis replies simply.

He stays silent as Harry moves to retrieve a tin from his food cupboard and opens it up, removing two delicious smelling biscuits out of it and placing them on the plate, next getting milk and a carrot from the fridge and pouring a glass of the white stuff, before encouraging Louis to carry the now full plate through to where the Christmas tree is situated in the T.V room. Louis cannot believe he’s doing this, if Niall saw him he’d probably die laughing. They position it right beside the tree and once Harry is happy, and they have another cheeky smooch on the sofa for ten minutes, Harry walks him to the door and watches him walk back down the hill. 

He quickly returns to the living room and removes the items from the plate, knowing that if Harry comes back after his shift and they are still there, he’ll think something’s wrong. He hides the carrot in a different fridge and pours the milk down the kitchen sink and drops the empty glass back on the plate (keeping up the authenticity of the whole charade that Santa would have drank it) and goes to throw the cookies in the bin. He panics though, thinking that someone might spot them in there and say something to Harry, and if he puts them back in the tin that Harry left out for everyone else to help themselves, Harry might clock there are extra ones and question Louis. OK, Louis gets that he’s very probably over thinking all of this, but he hasn’t come this far to go down because of a stupid cookie, so he goes to throw them in the big wheelie bin outside. He’s making his way down the corridor when the main door opens ahead of him and he hears Harry’s unmistakable drawl in conversation with someone else. 

Shit. Louis’ got the cookies in his hand and for once he’s not wearing anything with bloody pockets, he’s in simple pyjama bottoms and a jumper. He looks around for anywhere he could throw them, but there’s nothing. He tries the door to the Lydia’s office beside him, but as he suspected it’s locked, he could just make a run for it, so he turns around. “Louis?” Harry calls out as soon as he does, followed by a goodbye and merry Christmas to whoever he was speaking to as he or she goes to climb the stairs. Fuck it, Louis thinks, stuffing both the cookies in his gob one after the other and chewing as quickly as he can, some crumbling out past his lips onto the floor because there's so much. “Louis what are you doing?” He’s still got half the biscuity mixture filling his mouth when he turns back around, bringing his hand up to motion to Harry who is walking towards him at pace that he can’t speak. When Harry finally reaches him, he chows down a couple more times before swallowing and wiping his mouth.

“Sorry babe, you caught me eating a late night sandwich, was just heading to bed before I decided to go back and get a drink of orange juice.” Harry frowns like he isn’t sure whether he believes him, but must decide not to question him further.

“Oh, I see. I realised I left my phone on the sofa in the T.V room, Imogen said I could come grab it so I can text my mum Merry Christmas as it’s almost midnight,” Harry tells him, running a hand through his hair. 

Noooo. Bloody hell. He can’t go back in the T.V room, otherwise Louis is done for. “Oh I’ll go grab it for you, you wait here.”

“You’re alright Louis, I can get it, you head on to bed and I’ll see you in the morning.” Harry pats him on the shoulder and tries to get passed. 

Louis grabs Harry’s waist in an attempt to halt him. “No really I insist.”

“Louis, what’s going on?”

“Nothing babe, I’m being nice. Wait here OK?” He holds his palms up as signal to stay put. “Don’t move.” Louis dashes away from Harry before Harry can say anything else and he races into the T.V room, frantically looking for Harry’s phone by pulling up the cushions of the sofa they had not long left. He’s feeling hot and a little like he can’t breath, while he does it. God maybe he’s having a panic attack or something. He finally locates the device tucked down the side of the armrest and pulls it out, standing up straight and turning round to come face to face with an angry looking Harry. 

“Louis. What the hell is going on?” He’s got his hands on his hips and a face like thunder. Louis is well and truly fucked. 

“Nothing darling. Look, I found your phone,” Louis wheezes, holding the phone out to him, scratching at his neck and stretching the collar of his jumper, it suddenly feeling tight around his throat. 

“Don’t lie to me. You’re acting really weird and the Santa plate is empty. What happened?”

“Um…” What can he possibly say?

“Louis…”

“Well…” Louis can’t think straight, he’s feeling light-headed. 

“Tell me right-“ Harry face instant softens from furious to worried. “Are you OK Louis? You don’t look so good?”

“M’fine. M’just feeling… a bit… breathless.” Louis sags down to sit on the sofa and put his head between his knees. 

Harry crouches down in front of him and pulls at Louis’ sweater. “Oh God, you have a rash on your neck and face. Are you having an allergic reaction or summat?”

Louis shakes his head between his knees, regretting the action because it makes him feel even dizzier. “Only allergic to uh… certain antibiotics… and some fruits, like strawberries and apples.”

“Apples? I mean, there are apples in the cookies I made, maybe because you touched them?” He moves to sit down beside Louis and strokes at Louis’ spine.

Louis brings his head up.”There are? Fuck. I need to go to hospital… get Niall, please get Niall, Harry…he needs to drive me to hospital.”

“Louis I don’t think it’s that bad if you just touched-”

Louis squeezes his eyes shut. “I ate them… I ate Santa’s cookies Harry and you need… to get Niall or I will literally pass out… if I don’t go the hospital and get an allergy shot, like, right now.”

Harry grabs his phone and with trembling hands tries to dial. “Shit, OK, OK, I’m calling, just uh, stay calm yeah? I’m calling him.”

__________

Niall hadn’t long finished his shift in the bar and had only managed half a pint before Harry had interrupted him with the emergency. Harry and Niall had then collectively scooped Louis up and got him into Niall’s car with a paper bag to help control his breathing, Harry managing to remain fairly calm despite fighting with Niall briefly about being told to stay where he is at the hotel. Niall insisted that there was nothing to worry about and that it had happened before, he just needed to get Louis to the A&E in Barnsley twenty minutes away, promising to text with updates.

Louis got seen to straight away, the hospital thankfully not being too busy given the time of night and the date, but was kept in for observation for a few hours before being released to check he was fully OK. By the time Louis and Niall trudged back into the Barracks on what was now officially Christmas morning, a pacing Harry was waiting for them, having finished his shift in reception an hour previously.

“Louis, oh my God, I’ve been so worried,” Harry gasps as he runs up to him where he was waiting in the T.V room, momentarily winding him with a ferocious hug. “I was a mess on reception, Scott came in early to take over from me, I couldn’t concentrate. I thought I’d killed you,” Harry rambles in his ear. 

“You didn’t do anything darling. It was my fault. I’m completely fine now I promise.”

Harry pulls back and strokes Louis’ face. “I can’t believe I didn’t know you were allergic to apples. Last time I ever make apple and cinnamon cookies that’s for sure.”

Louis chuckles. “Yeah, that might be a good idea.”

“So, do you want to tell me why you ate the cookies in the first place?” he asks softly, taking Louis’ hands in his and sweep his thumbs over the backs of them in a calming gesture.

“Not really” Louis mumbles, looking at the floor. He had tried to think of reasonable lie in the hospital but he knew that enough was enough, he had to come out with the truth, no matter how shit it was going to be. 

“Louis…”

He inhales through his nose to steady himself before releasing it. “I didn’t want you to get disappointed when they hadn’t been eaten in the morning and so I went to chuck them out in the bin outside but I heard you coming back so I panicked and ate them all in one go.”

Harry doesn’t seem all that shocked. “OK, why would Santa not eat them, did you think they were bad?”

He squeezes Harry’s hands. “Not, it’s not that, it’s just… Harry… M'sorry to be the one to tell you this but there is no Santa. He’s not real.”

Harry breathes out a sigh of relief. “Oh my God, who finally told you?”

“Told me what?”

“That Santa isn't real,” Harry clarifies.

Louis’ eyes widen. “You know Santa isn't real?

“Of course I know that. I just thought you didn't? I left my phone here deliberately so I had a reason to come back on the off chance you caught me so I could get rid of the stuff on the Santa plate myself and put your present under the tree when I thought you had gone back to bed.”

What the hell? “I haven't believed in Santa Claus since I was like six years old or something. Why did you think I did?”

“Well, Niall told me. He said your mum hadn’t wanted you to let slip to your younger siblings that he didn’t exist so she kept the charade up with all of you. I only went along with it because I fancied you so much and didn’t want to upset you by telling you the truth. Why did you think I still believed in him?”

That scheming mother fucker. “Niall told me that your gran used to take you to see Santa and then she died and everyone was scared to ruin her memory.”

“So to be clear, neither of us believe in Santa and this is all Niall’s fault?”

They both turn their heads to face Niall in unison, who’s sitting at the dining table, not having even bothered to take his jacket off yet, Harry’s tin of cookies open in front of him. He holds his hands up in surrender.

“In my defence,” he mumbles out around a mouth full of biscuit, “I was only trying to stop you guys from hooking up.” He swallows, then says, “good cookies Harry,” as he nods towards him, picking up another one. “I was worried one of you would fuck the other over, what with Louis’ less than stellar track record and Harry pissing off travelling soon, so when you both told me you fancied the other, I figured if I told you both you were arseholes you’d realise soon enough that that was a load of shit. Thought I’d go the opposite way and try the 'too nice and a bit weird' angle. That didn’t work either, but it wasn't all that bad since you both seem to really like each other. After that, it was just fucking hilarious watching you two try and go along with the whole thing. I honestly didn’t think it would take either of you this long to work it out. I mean, come on. Who still believes in Santa at your age?” He stuffs almost the whole cookie in his mouth and takes a large chunk out of it with his teeth and chews.

“Babe, do you want the first punch, or the second,” Louis asks Harry, without taking his eyes of Niall. 

“First, definitely first, if you don’t mind Louis,” Harry replies, already having dropped Louis’ hands and taking a step towards the Irishman. 

“Fuck no!” Niall yelps, before hurling the almost empty tin at them both and scrambling out of his chair and then the room as fast as he can. 

“Oi! Fucking prick!” Louis shouts after him, running to catch up. “Harry worked hard on those!” 

“Louis, leave it.” Louis stops at the doorway into the kitchen at the sound of Harry’s voice. “Let him go, we’ll get him back another time, and he’s eaten most of these anyway.” He bends down to pick up the tin and the remaining biscuits. Louis walks back to help Harry pick up the last couple. When they’ve both straightened up and Harry has placed the tin back on the table, having discarded the contents in the nearby bin, he turns to Louis and begins to howl with laughter, Louis joining them. Before long, they are both hysterical, holding their stomachs and have tears streaming down their face.

“I can’t believe we’re both so stupid,” Louis says when he’s got enough air back in his lungs to speak. 

“I know.” Harry wipes under each of his eyes. “Fucking idiots, both of us. I did second guess it a few times to myself, but I just wanted to impress you, so never thought that hard about it.”

“Same here. And you were just so sweet and adorable, it sort of fitted.”

“You think I’m adorable?”

Louis snakes an arm around Harry’s waist to draw him closer. “You know I think you’re adorable.”

“Well, you’re equally adorable.” Harry taps a finger to the tip of Louis’ nose before encircling his arms around Louis’ neck.

Louis rolls his eyes. “No, I'm not.”

“You are. You get all flustered when I make cheeky jokes, you hover around reception when I’m working to make sure I’m OK, you make me dinner almost every night and do my dishes for me, take me out for lovely, thoughtful dates, got me a Christmas tree to make me happy, introduced me to your family, was really patient and understanding about all the sex stuff and you made a Go Fund Me page so I can go travelling. You’re the sweetest guy I’ve ever met and I can’t believe I get to call you my boyfriend.”

Louis opens his mouth to argue but then snaps it shut again, because well, all that stuff is true. How did he not realise just how far gone for the man he was. He sticks out his bottom lip instead.

“Don’t pout because you’ve only just realised what a mushy, perfect boyfriend you are.” 

“Ha!” Louis chirps, “that’s rich coming from you. You’re always pouting at me.”

Harry grins, moving a hand to brush an errant piece of hair out of Louis’ face. “I thought you liked it when I pout a bit. You almost always kiss me afterwards. That’s why I do it most of the time.”

Louis laughs and shakes his head to himself. So it would appear he never stood a chance at not falling for Harry from the get-go. “And to think at one point I thought you were all sweet and innocent?”

Harry giggles. “Well, that depends. There is one Christmas myth I do still believe in.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?” 

“I was saving this for later but…” Harry reaches into his back pocket and yanks out a green, plastic plant clipping with white berries, holding it above their heads. Louis looks up and grins. “Mistletoe Louis, it’s very important that you kiss underneath it, otherwise it can bring you extremely bad luck.” He tries to look serious, but he is failing miserably.

“Oh, funnily enough, that’s the one Christmas myth I still believe in too,” Louis says, leaning in to press his lips to Harry’s for a kiss.

“Merry Christmas Louis,” Harry whispers when he eventually pulls back, arms still wound tightly around each other.

“Merry Christmas Harry.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.
> 
> I also have a Tumblr which is [here](http://runaway-train-works.tumblr.com) if you want to say hello! The specific post for this fic is [here](http://runaway-train-works.tumblr.com/post/181150760095/better-not-pout-im-telling-you-why-written-as).
> 
> Comments and feedback is welcome and always responded to :-D


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